The Prophecy: Heart's Desire
by Serayaluv
Summary: UPDATED 2008 written before Bk5 HG novel length fic Harry's 5th year at Hogwarts is filled with mysteries, adventures, and new feelings of love as he searches for that which his heart desires.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the series. I just like to write for fun, so please do not sue me :-)  
  
  
Chapter 1   
  
Rainy days were not uncommon during the summer holidays in England. The folks who lived there took the gray skies the same as they did the blue. Still, it wasn't unusual for the gray-cloudy weather to put a damper on most people's moods. They didn't even need a reason for being down . . . the sunless skies would just make them so.   
  
  
Of course, there were some who had every reason to feel down, no matter what the weather. Such was the case of a young boy by the name of Harry Potter. To the outsider, Harry seemed like the typical shy teenage boy. But Harry was anything but typical.   
  
  
Harry was wizard . . . a teenage wizard in training really. Yet, at the tender age of fourteen, he had already defeated an evil wizard in a few battles, become the youngest Tri-Wizard Champion, and had helped many friends and even foes. In the wizarding world, Harry Potter was a hero.   
  
  
However, at the moment, Harry Potter was not in the wizarding world. He was actually stuck in the Muggle world which was full of non-magical people who didn't always appreciate Harry and his kind. In fact, Harry's uncle, Vernon Dursley, and aunt, Petunia Dursley, positively despised anything that had to do with magic . . . especially their nephew.   
  
  
For this reason, Harry spent most of his time up in his small bedroom. From there, he could look out at the dismal surroundings of Number Four Privet Drive. But he could be looking at the most beautiful sunset ever and he would still feel the way he did when it rained.   
  
  
Harry was staring blankly out his window one morning, watching the rain splattering against the pane when his Aunt Petunia screeched up the stairs at him. "Come down here, you lazy boy," she bellowed. "Now!" Rolling his eyes, Harry slowly left the solitude of his bedroom and headed down to the kitchen.   
  
  
As he walked into the cheery room, Harry noticed that neither his uncle or his cousin, Dudley, were there. Without thinking, he asked, "Where's Uncle Vernon and Dudley?"   
  
  
Immediately, Aunt Petunia turned on him and gave him a cold glare. "That's none of your business, now is it?"   
  
  
Harry sighed and slid into his seat at the table. He'd just taken a bite of toast when Aunt Petunia slammed a piece of paper down on the table next to him. "What's this?" the boy asked, dreading that he already knew the answer. The vicious gleam in his aunt's eyes confirmed his suspicions.   
  
  
"This . . . is a list of chores. I expect everything on it to be done . . . and done properly. If we're to be stuck with you then it's only right that you earn your keep." Harry raised an eyebrow at that but remained silent. "I'll be out all day, but Mrs. Figg will be keeping an eye on you . . . so don't think that you can just lay around doing nothing all day."   
  
  
"You mean like Dudley," Harry muttered under his breath. If his aunt heard him, she chose not to respond. Instead, she snatched up her purse and stormed out of the kitchen. Glancing down at the list of jobs, Harry groaned lightly. Over half of the work would need to be done outside . . . in the rain. For a moment, he considered leaving those duties for later; but one look outside told him that the weather was probably at its best right then. He shoved the rest of his toast in his mouth, then slowly made his way out the back door.   
  
  
Most days went on with a similar routine. The aspect of getting up and facing a new day got harder and harder. But Harry kept going because he knew that each day that passed brought him closer to what he desired most . . . to leave the Dursley's and return to the wizarding world. But until that time, Harry did have one bright spot to look forward to . . . His Birthday!   
  
  
On the night of July 30th, Harry found himself once again staring out his bedroom window. It wasn't the weather he was interested in, but rather something else. Owls, to be precise. Harry owned a Snowy white owl named Hedwig. He was waiting impatiently for the bird to return. Two days before, he'd sent Hedwig to deliver a letter to his best friend, Ron Weasley. Normally, Hedwig would be back within a day, but Harry suspected that she was making a few unscheduled stops.   
  
  
For, at midnight, it would be Harry's fifteenth birthday. The past couple years, owls would arrive shortly after midnight with cards and presents from his friends. This was one of the few highlights in Harry's summer. With a bit of a sigh, Harry walked back over to his bed and plopped down on it. 'Might as well get some homework done,' he thought to himself. Try as he might, Harry found it to be nearly impossible to concentrate on his reading. Feeling frustrated, the boy closed his book and then covered his eyes with one arm.   
  
  
A whooshing sound startled him and he quickly opened his eyes. Sitting on his bed was a large brown owl. "Oh," Harry said quietly, "You're from the school . . . Did you bring something from Hagrid?" The bird eyed him with haughtiness, then began to groom its feathers. Frowning, Harry undid the letter from the owl's leg. As soon as he did, the large creature ruffled its feathers, gave a disdainful hoot, and flew back out the window. "I would have given you some water," Harry muttered, knowing full well that the bird would not turn back even so.   
  
  
Looking at the envelope in his hands, Harry immediately recognized it as being his School's yearly welcome letter. Opening it, he read the standard message written by Professor Minerva McGonagall and then pulled out his list of needed supplies. He glanced through it once, then double checked before he said with relief, "No dress robes . . . that's good."   
  
  
Students wore dress robes for special occasions. Last year it had been the Yule Ball. Harry had been hoping to not have to go through one of those again. He had been expected, as one of the Tri-Wizard competitors, to bring a date. His first choice had been a girl named Cho Chang. She was a year older and from the Ravenclaw house. Neither of those were a problem. In truth, Harry's house, the Gryffindors, and Ravenclaw, and a third house, Hufflepuff, all got along very well. The only house that didn't get along with the rest of the school was the Slytherins.   
  
  
Harry folded back up the papers as his thoughts continued to dwell on the past year. He could still remember how awkward he felt when he finally got the nerve to ask Cho to the dance. By that time, however, she had already made other plans . . . with the Hufflepuff, seventh year, Cedric Diggory. Harry had felt stupid after that, feeling as if he had been reaching for something well out of his reach. Of course, he had more of a chance with Cho than his friend, Ron, had with the half-Veela, Fleur Delacour. Chuckling, Harry recalled the look of shock on his poor friend's face after he had asked Fleur to go to the dance with him. She hadn't even given him an answer; just stared at him with a look that spoke volumes.   
  
  
It still wouldn't have been so bad if Harry and Ron would have got through their delusional desires a bit sooner and asked the two girls who would have gone with them. Hermione Granger was Harry and Ron's other best friend. The three of them had been through so many troubles and adventures together. It would have actually been fun for the three of them to all go together . . . but Hermione already had a date for the ball. Harry had found it to be interesting how that fact seemed to really irritate Ron. He wondered how long it would take for Ron to realize that he was showing signs of liking Hermione as more than a friend. He couldn't help but think that it might take a couple smacks to the head to knock some sense into the boy.   
  
  
Not only was Ron rather dense when it came to his feelings, but he seemed to be completely clueless when it came to other people's feelings as well. Ron knew . . . well, pretty much everyone knew . . . that his little sister, Ginny, had a crush on Harry since before she actually met him. And, just like everyone else, Harry was aware of the young girl's feelings for him. The poor girl was endlessly teased by her older brothers when she was around Harry. For the most part, Harry just ignored the whole thing and kept a polite, but distant friendship with Ginny. That was why when Ron had suggested in front of Ginny that Harry take his sister to the ball, he'd felt a bit nervous.   
  
  
Harry didn't have to be nervous for long. It turned out that Ginny, too, already had a date. As it was only with one of Harry's housemates, Neville Longbottom, he immediately put it out of his mind. It was only later, as he watched Ginny wincing with each step, that he regretted that he hadn't asked her to go with him. He didn't really know her that well, but he knew that she would have been more fun then the girl he had gone with . . . Parvati Patil.   
  
  
Another swooshing sound broke Harry out of his reverie. Looking up, he smiled at the sight of a small owl flying madly around the light fixture. "Pig," he called, trying not to be too loud. "Come down here." The tiny bird immediately obeyed and soon Harry was untying letters and parcels from its twitching leg. Once free of its burden, Pigwidgeon (its full name), flew over to the bird cage to drink some water.   
  
  
Harry looked down at the pile before him and smiled. Picking up the first letter, he read,   
  
  
  
Dear Harry,   
  
Happy Birthday, dear! I wanted to make sure that you had all the trimmings since we can't give them to you in person. As soon as Professor Dumbledore gives his permission, we will come and get you. Until then, please take care of yourself and behave.   
  
With Love,   
  
Molly Weasley   
  
  
  
Placing the letter on the bed, Harry picked up the package and tore it open. Inside, he found a birthday cake, pumpkin juice, woolly handmade socks, and a variety of treats from Honeydukes. Popping one of the Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans into his mouth, Harry reached for the next letter.   
  
  
Upon opening it, Harry frowned at the handwriting. He didn't recognize it. But shortly into the note, he realized who it was from.   
  
  
  
Hello Harry,   
  
Happy Birthday! I hope that life at your Muggle family's place isn't too horrible for you. You shouldn't have to stay there much longer, I hope. We've all been writing to Professor Dumbledore asking him to please give his permission for you to come stay with us. The twins even sent him a large box of Canary Creams to soften him up. Speaking of the twins, Fred and George say Hi and Happy Birthday! The gift attached is from the three of us. It's another invention of the twins' and they're hoping you'd try it out for them. Now, they're not for you to use yourself. It's sort of a gag on Muggles. Just put some into your cousin's tea and you'll understand. Well, that's all for now. Hope to see you safely here soon.   
  
Ginny   
  
  
  
A bit surprised that Ginny had written to him . . . and written so much, Harry glanced over the note again. Towards the bottom, there was an odd mark. Harry thought it was strange for Ginny to have put it there, but he figured she was just doodling. Exchanging the letter for the gift, Harry cautiously opened it up to find several cubes of sugar in a small wooden box. Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what the sugar would do. Shaking his head, he decided that he'd take Ginny's advice and find out at breakfast.   
  
  
Reaching out to pick up the last letter, Harry was happy to see it was from Ron. Quickly, he opened it and read,   
  
  
  
Harry!   
  
Happy Birthday! How's the Muggles treating you? Are they still as horrible as they've been in the past? Well, hopefully soon we'll be able to get you out of there and bring you here. The twins, mum, and I have been hounding Dumbledore none stop. Ginny just wrote one letter to him . . . one very LONG letter. She wouldn't let anyone read it, so none of us knows what all she could have written to him about. Mine were all short and to the point. Still, no reply.   
  
I don't know if you've heard from Hermione or not. She decided not to go visit Vicki. Wise choice, if you ask me. She has been writing to him though. I don't see what they'd have to write about. Hermione knows next to squat about Quidditch and Vicki knows next to squat about everything but Quidditch. I hope he's not writing a bunch of lovey-dovey stuff. Hermione's smart . . . book smart, but she seems to go starry-eyed over the biggest, egotistic, liars she can find. She really needs to look for someone more down to earth.   
  
  
  
Harry chuckled at that. 'You mean someone more like you, huh Ron?' he thought to himself. Still smiling, he finished reading the letter.   
  
  
  
Well, anyway, I thought that I'd get you something this year to help entertain you until you can come here to stay. Read over the enclosed instructions and then look at the bottom of this letter. Take care and hang in there!   
  
Your friend,   
  
Ron   
  
  
  
Glancing down a bit, Harry noticed a marking on the letter that was similar to the one on Ginny's. He sat the letter down and picked up the small parcel. Inside it was a quill and an ink bottle. Harry made a face. "This is supposed to entertain me?" he muttered, wondering what Ron was getting at. He started to toss the box aside when a piece of paper fluttered out, followed by a rectangular object.   
  
  
Harry picked up the paper first. It read, 'Invisible Ink and Revealing Eraser'. That brought a smile to Harry's face. "Oh," he exclaimed, "I've heard of these things before." He reached down and retrieved the rectangular object from the floor. It looked like a normal pencil eraser. After quickly skimming over the instructions, Harry began to rub the eraser over the area below the mark on Ron's letter. A message slowly appeared.   
  
  
'Coming to a town near you! -- Draco Malfoy! -- The Amazing, Bouncing Ferret!'   
  
  
Harry laughed aloud, then quickly covered his mouth with his hand to quiet the sound. He didn't really want to wake up his relatives. Still, thinking back to the time when the most obnoxious student at Hogwarts was turned into a ferret was too much. He momentarily buried his face in his pillow to stifle his laughter. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help thinking, 'It feels good to laugh like this.'   
  
  
Just then, another owl flew through the window. Harry sat back up, looking at the bird. "Hedwig!" he cried out softly. "I was hoping you'd get back soon." The white owl looked up expectantly at her owner as he untied the few items from her leg. Then, with a leap, Hedwig landed on the boy's shoulder and nipped affectionately at his ear. Harry fished out a treat from his pocket and gave it to his pet. With that, the owl flew over to her cage and joined Pig.   
  
  
There were three more packages now lying on Harry's bed unopened. He picked up the first and opened the letter that was with it.   
  
  
  
Dear Harry,   
  
I do hope this reaches you by your birthday. Ron had sent Hedwig to me so I could send you your gift. Its not much, I'm afraid. I haven't really been able to get out much because of the way things are right now. Has Professor Dumbledore sent word on when you can go stay with the Weasleys? I do hope that it's soon. I'm hoping to meet you all a Diagon Alley at the end of August. I promised Ginny that I'd help her with some of her shopping. Well, I better end this so Hedwig can get it to you. Please keep yourself safe.   
  
With Love From,   
  
Hermione   
  
  
  
Harry started to refold the note when he noticed something written down further on the paper. Reopening it, he read,   
  
  
'P.S. Don't tell Ron, but I have been made a Prefect. Isn't that fantastic!'   
  
  
Fantastic, Harry wasn't sure about; but it definitely wasn't surprising. Hermione was the smartest student at Hogwarts. And she was usually quite sensible . . . except occasionally when persuaded not to be by Ron and himself. "Wonder why she wasn't worried about telling me about this," he muttered as he folded up the note, "but she doesn't want Ron to know." As it was too late at night for him to ponder about this, he decided to just concentrate on opening his remaining gifts.   
  
  
Hermione had sent him a picture in a frame of her, Ron, and himself. It had been taken back in their second year before their first day of classes. Being a wizarding photo, their images moved about as they would do in life. Ron and he were goofing off while Hermione looked on disapprovingly. Then Ron would tap her around her back on the other shoulder and laugh as she would scowl, sigh, and finally give one of her small smiles. Harry wasn't certain, but it seemed as if those two actually pestered each other on purpose.   
  
  
Setting the picture on his night table, Harry began to open his next letter.   
  
  
  
Harry,   
  
How are you, my boy? I wish that I could be there with you, but I'm still off running errands for Professor Dumbledore. Hopefully, I'll be back sometime during the school year. Till then, take care of yourself, Harry. And watch your back!   
  
Hagrid   
  
  
  
The letter sounded a bit odd coming from Hagrid, but Harry brushed off the doubts and opened his present. In the box was a backpack. Pinned on the outside, a note read,   
  
  
'Keep your most treasured possessions together so you'll always know where they are.'   
  
  
Harry gazed at the pack, his mind beginning to calculate just what he would keep in it. A yawn, however, cut his thoughts short. Deciding to leave it for the next day, Harry picked up the last envelope. Inside it he found a letter from his Godfather, Sirius Black, supposed criminal and murderer. The letter was very simple.   
  
  
  
Harry,   
  
I hope you are well. Keep up good spirits. I've included here some letters of you dad's that I thought you might like to read. Happy Birthday!   
  
Take Care!   
  
Snuffles   
  
  
  
Snuffles was the name Harry, Ron, and Hermione used for Sirius as he was still hiding from certain people within the ministry. Though believed to be a traitor in alignment with Voldemort and the murderer of thirteen Muggles and one wizard, Harry knew that wasn't the truth about his Godfather. He knew that Sirius had been framed by one of his friends, Peter Pettigrew, whom he had been accused of killing. But Pettigrew was far from dead. He had actually transformed into a rat and hid, leaving Sirius to take all the blame.   
  
  
Sirius had been taken to Azkaban. Only two years ago, though, he'd escaped and found Harry. It had turned out that Pettingrew had found Harry too, as he'd been posing as Ron's pet rat, Scabbers, for twelve years. Now, both men were in hiding.   
  
  
Harry stared down at the additional papers in his hand, noticing them shaking slightly. His dad's letters . . . his dad's thoughts. It felt so overwhelming, that Harry clutched the letters to his chest and closed his eyes. He only meant to close them for a moment, to give himself a chance to calm his emotions. But instead, he drifted off into a dreamless sleep; a true rarity for him.   
  
  
When he woke in the morning, Harry was still holding his dad's letters in his hands. He was just about to open up the first one to read when his Aunt Petunia's voice came loudly from the kitchen. Quickly, he put the letters in his new backpack and shoved it under his pillow. He had almost reached the door when he suddenly stopped and rushed back over to his night table. Harry grabbed up the small box containing the sugar cubes and hurried downstairs.   
  
  
This morning when he entered the Dursley kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of Uncle Vernon scowling from behind a newspaper, Aunt Petunia huffing around by the stove, and Dudley whining to anyone who'd listen about how hungry he was. Sliding into his seat, Harry picked up a slice of toast and munched on it quietly. He didn't expect anyone there to wish him a happy birthday. It would have been a shock to have any of them greet him with a simple hello.   
  
  
Noticing that Aunt Petunia had just poured her husband a cup of tea, Harry began to grin mischievously. He quickly wiped the look off his face when his cousin glanced over at him. As a decoy, Harry casually picked up a piece of bacon that had been deliberately placed far away from Dudley. His portly cousin eyed him greedily as Harry moved his hand towards his plate. However, Harry didn't stop there, but seemingly by accident dropped the meaty delight on the floor between him and Dudley. The larger boy only paused a second before diving down under the table to retrieve the delicious treasure.   
  
  
Seeing that all eyes were preoccupied at the moment, Harry pulled out some cubes of sugar from his shirt pocket and dropped one in each cup of his three relatives. For a moment, Harry worried that the sugar might arouse some suspicion in appearance or taste. But he didn't need to worry. Dudley reappeared from under the table with a triumphed glint in his beady eyes. It was difficult for Harry to not look anxious as he watched his cousin out of the corner of his eye pick up his tea cup. Harry nearly held his breath as he waited for Dudley to finish gulping his drink. When he finally did, Harry felt a bit disappointed.   
  
  
No horns had sprouted from the boy's head or anything like that. In fact, he looked as fat and pudgy looking as always. Harry wondered if perhaps George, Fred, and Ginny had sent him just some normal sugar as a gag on him. He could easily see the twins doing such a thing, but he didn't think Ginny would do that. With an internal shrug, Harry picked up his own tea and began to take a sip. As the first gulp scalded his throat, Harry glanced back over at Dudley. His eyes widened . . . then blinked . . . before he could help it, Harry spit out a mouthful of tea.   
  
  
"Hey! Watch it!" squealed Dudley.   
  
  
Both Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon glared at the young wizard. But what amazed Harry was that none of them seemed to notice that Dudley was now sitting at the table looking exactly like a large . . . Very large . . . china doll. Small curly locks flowed on the top of his head. His cheeks were rosy red, as were his lips. Harry was fascinated by how shiny his cousin's skin appeared to be even.   
  
  
"What are you staring at?" Dudley cried, starting to get nervous. He glanced back at his mother who was still nailing Harry down with a hard stare. "Mum," Dudley whined, "Make him stop looking at me like that!"   
  
  
Uncle Vernon made a slight growling sound from behind the paper he was once again reading. Harry noticed that his uncle's tea cup was no longer on the table. Nibbling on the rest of his toast, Harry waited with anticipation for Uncle Vernon to put his newspaper down.   
  
  
"Dad!" Dudley bellowed suddenly, "He's doing it to you now!"   
  
  
The newspaper shook slightly as Uncle Vernon's voice rumbled from behind it. "Doing What? You best not be doing any of your . . . nonsense . . ."   
  
  
Harry didn't hear the rest of what the older man said as the paper come down. At that moment, he was too startled by the sight of Uncle Vernon dressed as a clown, right down to the large red nose. Harry glanced back and forth between the Dudley china doll and the Uncle Vernon clown. The two Muggles eyed him suspiciously and then turned to look at each other. The _expression of pure confusion on the two's faces made Harry begin to choke on the bit of toast he had just swallowed.   
  
  
"What's going on here," Aunt Petunia exclaimed as she fussed over her large son. She, too, didn't seem to notice the new looks that her husband and son wore. It was clear that they all thought that Harry might be losing his sanity and therefore could at any moment whip out his wand on them.   
  
  
With great effort, Harry made his face go blank as he shrugged at the three. "I just swallowed wrong," he managed to mutter. He picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. The action must have been contagious as the other three all took drinks of their tea as well.   
  
  
Trying not to stare, Harry kept a close eye on his aunt, who was now sitting at the table. Though she had drunk some of her tea, she still looked unchanged. Then slowly, as if a mask was peeling away, her appearance began to alter. Her thin cheeks filled out some and took on a rosy glow. The graying hair turned a snowy white and curled softly around her face. Harry blinked rapidly as his bitter aunt turned into a charming old woman. Something about the way she looked seemed so familiar . . . like he had seen her look that way before. But that was impossible.   
  
  
Aunt Petunia looked up from her plate to find her nephew watching her with an almost awed _expression. For just a second, her own _expression softened and she nearly smiled at him. The moment was broken, however, by the ringing of the doorbell. Somewhat flustered, Aunt Petunia grumbled, "Make yourself useful, boy, and go answer the door."   
  
  
Harry paused only a moment before getting up and leaving the kitchen. Opening the front door, he couldn't help by exclaim, "Mrs. Figg? What are you doing here?"   
  
  
The elderly woman tutted him, then said, "Where are your manners, boy? Is that anyway to greet a guest?"   
  
  
Harry shook his head as he stuttered, "Uh . . . no . . . Sorry, Mrs. Figg. Please come in. Everyone's in the kitchen right now."   
  
  
"Fine, fine," Mrs. Figg said as she whooshed by the young boy. "I just need a word with your aunt and then I'll be on my way."   
  
  
Harry led her back to the kitchen and sat down at the table. Noticing Aunt Petunia staring a the kitchen entrance with an odd _expression, Harry turned back to look at their guest.   
  
  
Mrs. Figg was standing stock still in the doorway with a look upon her face that seemed to be torn between being appalled and being utterly amused. It took Harry a minute to realize the reason for this. Glancing back and forth between his family and the older woman, Harry realized that Mrs. Figg, unlike his family, could see the same changes that he could see. And if Muggles could not ever see the effects of the sugar cubes . . . and only people with magic in their blood could . . . then . . .   
  
  
"Would you care for some tea, Arabella," Aunt Petunia asked eyeing the woman cautiously.   
  
  
Mrs. Figg seemed to recover quickly as she smiled politely and said, "No thank you, dear. I just came over to pick up those seeds you got for me. Besides," she glanced over at Harry, "Too much tea can have strange effects on people."   
  
  
Harry looked quickly away feeling somewhat guilty. Aunt Petunia fetched the seeds for Mrs. Figg, talking idly about neighborhood gossip. The older woman, however, kept giving Harry a look that made him think of Hermione or Professor McGonagall.   
  
After awhile, Mrs. Figg cut Aunt Petunia off by saying, "Petunia, dear, I really must be going. If someone could just see me out . . ."   
  
  
Harry didn't have to look up to know that all eyes were on him. With a light sigh, he stood and moved out of the kitchen towards the front door. Mrs. Figg followed. Silently, Harry opened the door, but wasn't surprised when Mrs. Figg didn't walk right out. Feeling nervous, he raised his gaze up to meet with the older woman's.   
  
  
It amazed him to find her almost smiling at him. In fact, her eyes were sparkling like Professor Dumbledore's often did. With a hint of amusement, she said, "Take care, young Potter . . . and try to not get into too much mischief." Having said that, she turned and walked out the door. Still surprised, Harry closed the door and headed up to his room.   
  
  
Plopping down on his bed, Harry stared off into space. "I can't believe it," he muttered to himself. "Mrs. Figg is a witch . . . she has to be." He didn't get much of a chance to ponder about this new revelation as a tawny owl just then zoomed into his room. It was Percy's owl, Hermes. As Pig had just come from the Weasley's house the night before, Harry was surprised and a little worried seeing the other family owl.   
  
  
He took the note off the bird's leg and opened it. The message inside was short and to the point. And it immediately brought a smile to Harry's face. With a small whoop of joy, Harry looked at his own owl and said, "Finally, Hedwig . . . we've got the okay to go to Ron's."   
  
  
  
*******Note: I just want to thank Paula for Beta reading this and all her great advice. Also, thanks to all for having patience with me while I learn how to attach files (especially the Correct files) to e-mails :-P Just to let any of you who have read this first chapter know, this story is all written out. I just have to type it up, get it Beta read, make corrections, then get the Correct version sent in - so you shouldn't have to wait too long between chapters. Thanks for reading my first HP fanfic & I hope you all enjoy it.  
~~ Robin (Serayaluv)******* 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own HP or anything from the series. I'm only borrowing the characters for fun, not profit.  
  
  
Chapter 2   
  
Harry wasn't going to be able to go to Ron's house until August 8th. Oddly enough, the time went pretty quickly. Between finishing up school work, getting all his things organized, and still doing a variety of chores for his aunt and uncle, Harry didn't really have time to sit around and be impatient. Whenever he did start to feel stressed about having to wait, he would pull out the letters from his dad that Sirius gave him and read them again and again. Even though they didn't really give that much information to Harry on his parents, they still made him feel as if they were close by.   
  
The day finally came for Harry to leave the Dursley's. He sat up in his room most of the morning making sure that he had everything packed. As he sorted through a pile of letters he had received over the summer, one fell out and to the floor. Harry bent over to pick it up, As he stood again, he glanced over the note.   
  
Immediately, he recognized it as being the birthday letter from Ginny. Not having much else to do, Harry sat down on his bed and reread it. Harry smiled as the letter reminded him of how his family reacted to drinking the special sugar cubes Fred, George, and Ginny sent him. Then, as he read over Ginny's last few words, he felt his smile soften. It was such a warm and happy feeling that he got whenever he thought of any of the Weasleys. They were more of a family to him than the Dursleys had ever or would ever be.   
  
Harry was just about to fold up the letter when he caught sight of the strange mark he had seen the first time he'd read it. Now, he had an idea of what it meant. Ron had put the very same mark on his note to signal Harry to use the revealer eraser to uncover a hidden message.   
  
Moving over to his trunk, Harry quickly scrounged around for the special eraser. It took him a couple minutes to locate it. When he did, Harry sat back down on his bed and picked up the note. His hand raised so he was just about to make the first swipe . . . then he paused.   
  
All of a sudden, he felt a bit nervous about revealing the message. What could Ginny have written to him? He knew that she had special feelings for him . . . more than simple adoration or a crush. After all, he had been the one that had saved her life three years before in the Chamber of Secrets. He didn't really believe that he had done anything especially heroic, however. They had been lucky. In fact, Ginny could have very easily ended up being killed . . . like Cedric . . .   
  
Harry shook his head a bit as if trying to shake something off. 'Guilt,' he thought unwillingly. 'It was my fault that Cedric died.' This wasn't the first time that Harry had thought about the events of last spring. And just as he did all the other times, he shoved his feelings and thoughts as far away as possible. He didn't want to deal with it . . . not yet, at least.   
  
To distract himself, he began to rub the revealer eraser vigorously on the bottom of Ginny's letter. Soon, another complete letter appeared. Silently, he read it.   
  
  
  
To Our Most Distinguished Comrade, Harry,   
  
It is with great delight that we have allowed our precious little sister to send you these most valuable sugar cubes. Guard them with your life, as they may be your only source of enjoyment for awhile. Personally, we had wanted to send you this new gum we invented that allows you to read minds. But, our little Ginny pointed out that you probably have no desire to know what any of your relatives are thinking. And she felt that you would be in the perfect situation to test our Sugar Coated Glamour Cubes. She's a clever one, unlike Percy.  
  
  
Well, Chap, we expect a full report when Dumbledore finally lets you come here. Oh, and there is a little extra present from Ginny that you'll find under all the sugar cubes . . . but don't tell our dear sister that we gave it to you. She has a temper that's three times worse than our mum's.   
  
Happy Birthday, Harry old boy!   
  
Gred & Forge   
  
  
  
Smiling, Harry shook his head at the odd note from the twins. They had said that there was something else in the sugar cube box. Harry hoped it wasn't another poem like he'd received his second year on Valentines Day or the singing card Ginny had giving him his third year. A little nervously, Harry fished out the box of remaining sugar cubes and opened it up. Dumping the cubes out onto his bed, Harry looked closely at the bottom of the box. He could just see that there appeared to be a piece of card board lying across the bottom. With shaky fingers, he carefully pulled the cardboard out. Underneath it lay a folded parchment. Harry took it out and gently unfolded it.   
  
What he saw made his breath catch. It was a drawing . . . of him. Just a simple black and white picture of him on his broom flying. There was nothing else in the picture. Just him and his broom. But the detail of the drawing was amazing. Every mark on his broom handle, his robes flowing in the breeze, . . . everything was perfect.   
  
But, nothing compared to the _expression on his face. It was as if the artist had captured on paper all the emotions he felt when he flew. His eyes sparkled with ecstasy. His chin was set with stubborn determination. Freedom and energy seemed to flow right out of the drawing. Looking at it made him feel nearly as good as actually flying did. Harry wondered where Ginny could have got this. It was then that he noticed the small initials blended in with the broom's tail . . . V.O.W.   
  
Harry stared at the initials for awhile, trying to think of anyone he knew with those initials. Finally, it hit him that the W probably stood for Weasley. He quickly went through the names of all the Weasleys he knew of. When he reached Ginny's name, it dawned on him that Ginny was probably only a nickname. Not knowing much about girls' names, he tried to think of what it might be a nickname for. But nothing came to mind.   
  
He was so preoccupied with trying to solve this mystery that he didn't hear the light 'Pops' that sounded behind him. It wasn't until a voice said, "Hey . . . that's a pretty good likeness," that Harry realized that he wasn't alone. Jumping off his bed, he was surprised to find Bill and Charlie Weasley standing there grinning at him.   
  
"Hope you don't mind that we just Port Keyed here," Bill said as his eyes sparkled with amusement. "Dad said that the Muggles here have a problem with Floo powder travel."   
Harry noticed that both of them were glancing at the picture he held in his hand, so he quickly folded it up and put it back into the sugar cube box. After placing all the cubes back into the box and repacking everything back up, Harry looked up at the two older Weasley boys.   
  
Still smiling, Bill asked, "So, are you ready to go?"   
  
Nodding silently, Harry pulled his trunk over to them and reached out for the Port Key. Bill started to count down from ten. As he reached the number three, Charlie grinned at Harry and said quietly, "Quite a talented artist, our little Virginia."   
  
The last thought Harry had before he felt the familiar tug was, 'Virginia? . . . Ginny drew this!?'   
  
Harry's next thought was, 'Auughhh!' as he popped into the Weasley's living room and tumbled head first over his trunk.   
  
"That was graceful," a voice said laughingly above him.   
  
Harry glanced up to see Ron grinning at him. "Oh, shut it, you. And help me up, will you," he said from the floor. Ron laughed as he reached down and helped Harry to his feet.   
  
"We'll take your trunk up to Ron's room," Bill said. "Come on, Charlie . . . grab an end."   
Charlie gave his brother a bewildered look. "Why don't we just . . ." he muttered as he flipped his hand around in a gesture to use a wand.   
  
  
Bill laughed. "Oh don't be such a wimp," the eldest brother retorted as he picked up one side of the heavy trunk. "It'll be good exercise."   
  
The last thing Harry heard as the two walked out of the room was Charlie grumbling, "Blimey! What all does he have in here?"   
  
For a brief moment, Harry was nervous that Bill and Charlie might sneak a look into his trunk. But then he thought better of it. These were two hard working, responsible wizards. Now, if it had been the twins . . .   
  
"Mum left us some food," Ron said, regaining Harry's attention. "You hungry?" Harry just nodded and followed Ron into the kitchen. As cheery as the room was, it seemed odd not seeing Mrs. Weasley in it.   
  
"Is your mum not here?" Harry asked as he began to pile food onto his plate.   
  
Ron shook his head. "She went in with Dad to a meeting. Percy went too, I guess . . . or he's at work. Dad figured it would be safer for Bill and Charlie to come and get you than just me." The two took their plates of food over to the table and sat down. "They should all be back by dinner. Hey . . . after we eat, do you want to play some Quidditch?"   
  
Harry had his mouth full of ham sandwich, so he just nodded. "Good!" Ron said happily. "I bet you really miss your Firebolt."   
Again, Harry nodded. He had sent his broomstick to Ron to take care of for the summer. It wasn't that he had really wanted to do so, but within the first week he had been at the Dursley's, he figured that it would be safer there. What really made up his mind about it was when he found his Aunt Petunia with it, holding it tightly in her hands, and aiming it for a nice, hard swing at the rug she was going to beat clean.   
  
Harry managed to grab the broom just inches before it smacked into the dirty rug. Aunt Petunia was furious with him to the point that she made Harry beat out the rug with a spatula. But, Harry didn't care. Just as long as his Firebolt was safe. And so he sent it with Hedwig to the Weasley's.   
  
"Maybe we can get Bill and Charlie to play too," Ron said offhandedly.   
  
"What about Fred and George?" Harry asked. "They can never say no to a game of Quidditch."   
  
Ron nodded in agreement, but then said, "I'm sure if they were here, they would play. But they went into Diagon Alley."   
  
Harry was surprised by this. "They didn't go to get their books already, did they? I thought we would all be going later."   
  
"Oh, we will," Ron reassured his friend. "They wouldn't say exactly what they were going there for, but I imagine that probably has to do with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. They're still wanting to open a shop right after they leave school. They're probably out there scouting for a location or something. Although, I don't know why Ginny would want to go along to do that."   
  
"Ginny went too?" Harry asked, a bit surprised.   
  
"Yeah," Ron answered. "She heard the twins talking about going and absolutely insisted that they take her. And Mum and Dad let her go. I think Mum seemed almost relieved. Weird, huh?"   
  
Harry just shrugged. He couldn't imagine what the twins were up to. "When will they get back?"   
  
Ron swallowed the last of his sandwich and then said, "In a couple days, I think." Eyeing Harry's near empty plate, he asked, "You done?" When Harry nodded, Ron jumped up from the table and exclaimed, "Then let the games begin."   
Grinning, the two boys cleaned up their dishes and headed up to Ron's room to get their brooms. They managed to talk Bill and Charlie into playing a two on two game of Quidditch. The time passed quickly and soon they were all being called in for dinner.   
  
As soon as Harry dismounted his Firebolt, he found himself in a warm, yet crushing hug from Mrs. Weasley. Pulling away slightly, the woman looked down at Harry with a tender, motherly smile and said, "I'm so glad that you're here, Harry." She looked as if she wanted to say more but couldn't find the words. For a moment, she just smiled at the boy and then gave him another hug. In a bit of a choked up voice, she finally said, "Well, dinner's ready . . . best be getting washed up for it." Mrs. Weasley and the boys all headed into the house.   
  
By the time they all got cleaned up for dinner, Mr. Weasley and Percy were back as well. Both were found sitting at the table. As Harry took a seat next to Ron, he noticed how pale and tired Mr. Weasley appeared. The older man looked up and smiled at Harry. "Hello, Harry. It's really good that you're here." Percy nodded in agreement, but remained silent. He, too, looked nearly as exhausted as Mr. Weasley did.   
  
Through all of dinner, Harry kept rather quiet; only answering questions when asked. It didn't seem like anyone was in much of a mood for talking. Harry thought about all of the past meals he had eaten there and he couldn't remember one ever being this quiet. Of course, Fred and George weren't there like they usually were. Harry realized that he missed the twins and their antics. They were always able to make him smile . . . even after . . .   
  
Taking a large drink of water, Harry seemed to be trying to wash away those thoughts again. But he found it too hard to do. So far, no one had mentioned anything about last Spring or about what all was happening now. Before he could stop himself, Harry blurted out, "How bad is it?" Everyone at the table gave him a startled look, then most of them looked away.   
  
  
Mr. Weasley, however, just gazed a the boy sadly for a moment. When he began to talk, his voice was so quiet that Harry had to lean forward to hear him. "I won't lie to you, Harry," the man said, then in response to the disapproving _expression his wife was giving him, he added, "He has the right to know, Molly. He needs to know."   
  
Mrs. Weasley sighed heavily, but didn't try to stop her husband from talking. So, he continued, "You-know-who is almost back to full force again. We've lost a number of wizards and witches either by them joining the Death Eaters or . . . being killed by the Death Eaters." He paused as he stared off with a thoughtful gaze. "But, we are working to build up a defense against You-know-who and his followers. I know that Professor Dumbledore will figure something out."   
  
Harry didn't think that Mr. Weasley sounded to convinced with what he was saying. "You don't need to worry about, Harry," Mr. Weasley added, offering a small but reassuring smile. "Right now the best thing you and . . . well . . . all of you kids can do is study and learn."   
  
After saying this, everyone but Ron and Harry excused themselves from the table. The two boys just looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Finally, Ron suggested that they call it a night and retire to bed early. Harry, too overwhelmed emotionally, just nodded.   
  
The next few days seemed to go by fairly quickly as the boys kept busy flying, playing Quidditch and other games like Wizards Chess. Occasionally, they even studied a little. Harry also spent a lot of time thinking about what all was happening in both the wizard world and the Muggle world.   
  
Voldemort had gained a rather large following in such a short time. To make matters worse, there appeared to be a split on the side against the Dark Lord. Some of the wizarding world believed that Professor Dumbledore was the best person to lead against Voldemort. But another group felt that Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was the one to follow. And there was a third group who didn't know who to follow. This division was causing their fight against Voldemort to weaken. Nearly every night a wizard family and some Muggle born witches and wizards were murdered or disappeared. Things didn't seem like they could get worse.   
  
The mood at the Burrow was very tense as it seemed that Mr. Weasley and Percy were working for different leaders. Percy felt that Fudge was the best person to be in charge; although he also agreed that Professor Dumbledore should have some say as well. Mr. Weasley, of course, had been working closely with Professor Dumbledore since they events of the night of the third task in the Tri-Wizard competition. From what Harry could tell, Percy was the only one at the Burrow who listened to Fudge at all.   
  
Harry knew from experience that Cornelius Fudge didn't always make the best decisions. But Percy didn't want to hear it. One day after a particularly grueling late lunch with Percy, Ron, Bill, and Charlie, Harry found himself in need of some time by himself. Taking his Firebolt, he went outside to just fly around for awhile. For a couple hours, Harry zipped through the air, chasing after a charmed apple. When he got tired of that, he drifted down to hover on the tops of some tall trees. As he leaned against a large branch, Harry gazed out over the land around him. It didn't take long until his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.   
  
  
~~~~~~The maze was dark and narrow. Cries of pain and anguish echoed against the walls. Harry felt as if he could barely move as he made his way through the walkways. Turning the corner, he ran right into Percy. The older boy peered down at him with an _expression of superiority. "Stay on the path," Percy said in an almost whisper. "You are the Seeker. It is you that must find your heart's desire. But, beware! The cover of desire can be worn by the deadly serpent."   
Harry frowned. "What does that mean? I don't understand."   
Percy stared back at him, then seemed to yell from far away, "Harry! Can you hear me?"   
  
Harry gave him a confused look. "Of course I can hear you . . . you're right in front of me."   
  
Percy smiled, then bellowed loudly, "Oy!!! . . . Harry!" ~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Harry's eyes suddenly opened wide. As his sight focused, he noticed someone there in front on him. "Percy?" he muttered.   
  
The reply he got was a snort of disgust and then, "I bloody well don't think so, Harry. Come on now . . . wakie, wakie! Nap time's over."   
The face in front of him came into complete focus and Harry nearly fell off his broom with surprise. "Fred!? What are you doing upside down?" he asked to the boy who was hanging down from his broom above Harry.   
  
Fred smiled and quickly flipped right way up. "Pleasant dreams?" he asked Harry.   
  
A low groan came from Harry before he could help it. "Not really . . . It was about Percy."   
  
Another voice sounded from below them. "About Percy? Then that had to be a nightmare," said George as he flew up to join Harry and Fred.   
  
Harry nodded. "It was actually," he said, then gave the twins a startled look. "Hey . . . You two are back!"   
  
George looked at Fred and said in a pitying tone, "Not very observant, is he?"   
  
Fred gave another snort as he replied, "Not at all. He even had the nerve to call me Percy." George gave Harry a comically frightened look.   
  
"Ha! Ha! Very funny," Harry retorted. "I'm just surprised to see you two back today. I thought you wouldn't be here until tomorrow."   
  
Fred nodded as he answered, "Plans changed. We grew in numbers and that certain number wanted to get here as soon as possible."   
  
Harry just looked at Fred blankly. Before he could ask what he meant by that, he heard from below a "Hello". He quickly glanced down and then broke into a bright smile. "Hermione!" he exclaimed, quickly descending down to where his friend stood waving cheerfully next to Ron.   
  
As soon as Harry dismounted, Hermione threw her arms around him and nearly knocked him over. Though staggering a bit, he managed to hug her back awkwardly. He noticed that Ron had an odd look on his face. Breaking free from Hermione's embrace, Harry said, "Hello Hermione . . . It's great to see you!"   
  
Hermione nodded as she took her place between the two boys. "I'm so glad that it worked out for me to come here. I've been so worried about you both."   
  
Harry glanced over at Ron, who's tips of his ears were reddening. It surprised him when Ron blurted out, "We've been worried about you too." Hermione gave a shy smile to Ron. Harry suddenly felt like a third wheel . . . but he didn't really mind. Seeing Ron and Hermione acting all weird around each other was much more entertaining than listening to them bicker.   
  
They walked in silence for a bit, then Ron said, "Um . . . you were telling me about your broom before, Hermione . . .something's wrong with it . . ."   
  
The young girl nodded, then said, "It seems to be off balanced or something. I tried trimming it, but it didn't really help."   
  
Looking down at the ground, Ron quietly said, "If you'd like, I could take a look at it. Maybe it's just something little." The red haired boy glanced up at Harry as he added, "We can use Harry's Broom Kit . . . right, Harry?"   
  
Ron's eyes looked so pleadingly at Harry that for a moment, he considered torturing his friend a bit. But then he noticed that Hermione was looking at him expectantly. So, he said, "Of course! You can use whatever you need."   
  
Hermione smiled at both of them as she replied, "Oh, thank you! I knew that I could count on you both to help me with it."   
  
Ron suddenly smirked. "That's right, Hermione. Just like we can count on you with all our homework this year." Harry chuckled, but Hermione threw them both a look of disgust.   
  
"When have I Not helped you two?" she said with an air of indigence. "You two would probably still be trying to figure out the levitation charm if it weren't for me."   
  
Snickering, Ron said, "Oh yeah . . . you getting yourself trapped with a troll was Extremely helpful."   
  
Hermione's hands went to her hips as she glared back at Ron. "I wouldn't have been stuck in that bathroom with that monster if it weren't for You!"   
  
Harry, figuring that his two friends wouldn't even notice, slowed his pace down so he could walk with the twins. Fred smiled fondly as he watched Ron and Hermione argue. "Ahh . . . young love! They'll be walking down the aisle before we know it."   
Snorting at that comment, Harry said, "They act like they already have." Both of the twins nodded in agreement as they grinned mischievously at the pair.   
  
"So," said George after a moment, "How'd the Sugar Coated Glamour Cubes work out?"   
  
Harry's smile widened and he told the two boys all about Dudley the china doll, Uncle Vernon the clown, and Aunt Petunia's odd appearance. He still couldn't figure out why she looked so familiar as an old woman.   
  
"Maybe she made you think of the Granny Witch," George suggested. Seeing the blank look on Harry's face, he added, "You know . . . the little old woman that tells children stories."   
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "Do you mean Mother Goose?"   
  
Fred and George looked at each other, then back at Harry as they said in unison, "Mother Who!?"   
  
Sighing, Harry muttered, "Never mind . . . it's really not important." Then allowing a smile, he said, "I did want to thank you for sending the cubes to me. It was very entertaining."   
  
Fred waved him off as he commented, "It's Ginny you ought to thank. We had wanted to send you this mind reader bubble gum we've been working on, but Ginny pointed out that with you being stuck with the Dursleys, you didn't really have the best reading material to work with. She thought that you'd enjoy the sugar cubes more."   
  
Nodding, Harry didn't say anything for a moment. Then hesitantly, he said, "Well, I just wanted to thank you for sending me the gift . . . All of it."   
  
Again, the twins exchanged a look and grinned. "You're welcome," they replied with amused smiles. Fred added, "Just remember . . . you didn't get it from us."   
  
Harry wasn't sure why they were worried about that. He was about to ask when George commented, "Ginny's got some talent, huh?"   
  
"Yes . . . It's very good," Harry agreed.   
  
With a bit of a mischievous look in his eyes, Fred said, "It seems that the more inspired she is the better she can draw."   
  
Nodding, George added, "And the drawings of you are the best of the lot."   
Fred winked at Harry as he quipped, "Must mean that you really know how to inspire the girl."   
  
Harry could feel his face redden. "Oh shut it," he muttered. He wasn't so sure which was worse . . . listening to his two best friends bicker or putting up with the twins' teasing. Fred and George were still laughing at him when they reached the house. Going inside, Harry decided that getting cleaned up for dinner by himself was better than either of the other two options.   
  
When Harry finally came down for dinner, he joined Ron and his brothers at the kitchen table. The group of them talked about the Quidditch League as Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny helped bring out dishes of food to the table. Though Harry kept up with the Quidditch conversation, he also couldn't help noticing Ginny seemed preoccupied.   
  
He had expected her to greet him with her traditional shy smile and blushing cheeks. It wasn't that he felt she had to react that way to him . . . in truth, he never understood why she had always done so in the past . . . but she didn't seem to even notice that he was there. As the youngest Weasley sat down a bowl of potatoes, Harry cleared his throat and said softly, "Hello Ginny . . . how are you?"   
  
Ginny turned and looked at him blankly for a second, then a light blush crept across her face. "Oh Harry . . . I'm sorry! I didn't see you there." One of the twins snorted at that. Ginny glared over at the two boys, then smiled shyly back at Harry as she said, "I'm fine . . . how about you?"   
  
Ron cut in before Harry could answer, "He's fine too . . . now, go get the rest of the food. I'm hungry!"   
  
Both Ginny and Hermione fixed Ron with an angry stare. "Come on, Gin . . . we wouldn't want these helpless males to starve." Ginny followed after the older girl with a toss of her fiery red hair.   
  
"What?" Ron said, looking bewildered. "I didn't say anything wrong."   
  
Bill looked as if he were about to say something when Ginny came back out carrying a bowl of sweet corn. Nearly slamming the dish down next to Ron, she said coolly, "Here! . . . Is that quick enough for you?" Not waiting for an answer, the young girl turned on her heels and sauntered out of the room again.   
  
Ron picked off the kernels of corn that had splattered on him and muttered, "What's her problem?"   
  
Harry noticed that Fred and George exchanged an odd look . . . almost as if they were trying to decide something. Bill spoke up, however, saying, "I don't believe our little Virginia was speaking to you earlier, Ron. Unless I'm wrong, I'd say that she's a bit peeved that you interrupted her conversation with Harry."   
  
Ron gave his eldest brother a look of amazement. "What conversation? Harry said hello . . . asked how she was . . . she said fine . . . that's hardly a conversation."   
  
Hermione had come out into the room just in time to hear Ron. Setting down a basket of rolls, she tutted loudly at him. Ron just frowned at her. "I just wanted to save Harry from having to politely put up with Ginny's chatter."   
Almost all of the dishes must have been brought out for Hermione sat down at the table. As she did, she sighed disgustedly in Ron's direction. Charlie, who had been silently watching the scene with amusement, said to his youngest brother, "Well, perhaps, Harry didn't want to be saved." Immediately all eyes turned to Harry, who at the moment felt like disappearing.   
  
He was luckily saved from having to answer that by the appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley looked tired still, but greeted everyone with a smile. Ginny finally came out to sit down next to Fred, across from Harry. For awhile, all was quiet as everyone concentrated on their food. By the time they were all done, no one had room for desert. Mrs. Weasley, Percy, and Bill went about cleaning off the table as everyone else sat and talked. The main conversation had once again returned to Quidditch.   
  
Mr. Weasley listened for a little while, then quietly excused himself. As soon as he left, Ron turned on Ginny. "I don't appreciate you splattering corn all over me. What exactly is your problem?"   
"Just shut it, Ron," Ginny answered in a hushed tone.   
  
Ron looked at Fred and George and asked, "Was she like this the whole time you were gone?"   
Both boys glanced at each other, then said, "Pretty much." Ginny must have kicked Fred because he suddenly howled in pain and then glared at her. George, oblivious . . . or at least pretending to be . . . went on with, "Well, she was after her little meeting with Malfoy."   
  
Harry and Ron looked over at Ginny with surprise. "Malfoy!?" Ron choked out, "What were you doing meeting with Malfoy?" Harry heard Ron groan in pain and looked over at him. The red haired boy was rubbing his leg while glaring at Hermione, who was glancing across the table with an innocent _expression.   
  
In the meantime, Ginny had started to say, "I did Not meet with Malfoy! He was the one who approached me. And like I've said before . . . I had everything under control."   
  
George snorted. "Oh yeah, you and Malfoy looking as if you were about to duel to the death was a perfectly controlled situation."   
  
"What!?" This time it came from both Ron and Harry. With concern evident in his voice, Harry asked, "He wasn't threatening you, was he?"   
  
Ginny's _expression softened as her cheeks flushed. "It was nothing. You know how Malfoy can be . . . such a stupid git. He was just being his usual self. And I handled it just fine, despite what these two here say." Glancing away, Ginny pushed back from the table as she said quietly, "Well, I'm a bit tired. I guess I'll call it a night. G'night all." She paused, then gave Harry a quick, shy glance as she added, "G'night Harry." And with that, she was gone.   
  
Harry stared after Ginny, his mind wondering about what had happened between Malfoy and her. His thoughts were so deep that he nearly missed Fred commenting, "Did anyone else notice that Harry got his own good night while the rest of us were grouped together as 'All'?" Harry moved his sight over to Fred and frowned at him.   
  
  
****A/N: Thanks again for reading another chapter.**** 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter series - it all belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing the characters and such for fun.  
  
  
Chapter 3   
  
  
They spent a good portion of the early evening sitting outside on the porch. Shortly after 10pm, Mrs. Weasley began to pass out large slices of pie to everyone. Hermione had decided to check on Ginny to see if she wanted any pie. But she came back out of the house alone and reported that Ginny was sound asleep.   
  
  
Harry had finished his slice of pie first and said quietly, "I think I'm going to head up to the room. You coming, Ron?"   
  
  
Ron looked a bit torn. Blushing a bit, the redhead answered, "I'll be up in a little while. I wouldn't want to leave Hermione to eat her pie out here with these gits."   
  
  
Fred and George looked offended as they both cried out, "Hey!"   
  
  
Harry chuckled. "Well, then . . . Good night all!"   
  
  
As he went into the house he heard one of the twins say, "Great . . . now Harry's grouping us together as 'all' too." Shaking his head, Harry headed up the many stairs to Ron's room. He glanced at Ginny's door as he passed it, wondering again about what had happened in Diagon Alley.   
  
  
Reaching Ron's room finally, Harry plopped down on his cot and stared at the ceiling. He wasn't sure why, but he had an odd feeling of unease. To calm his nerves, Harry pulled out some of the letters Sirius had given him from his Dad.   
  
  
He thumbed through them until he reached a certain one. Unfolding it, he began to read silently.   
  
  
  
To Padfoot,   
  
  
How is life treating you, you ol' dog? I hope well. Lily sends her love. Speaking of my beautiful wife, we have some incredible news to tell you. We're going to have a baby. Despite feeling nauseated all the time, Lily is practically glowing. And I don't think I've stopped smiling since she told me. Old Tess said that the baby is due around the end of July/beginning of August. I can hardly believe that I'm going to be a father. And, of course, this means that you're going to be a godfather - at least I hope you will agree to doing so. If anything did ever happen to me, I know that I could trust you to take good care of Lily and my child.   
  
  
  
The door opened up, causing Harry to jump a bit. Ron walked into the room and gave his best friend a quizzical look. "What are you doing? I thought you were heading to bed?"   
  
  
Quickly putting the letter away, Harry shrugged. "I am. I just wanted to go through a few things." Harry smiled mischievously at his friend as he asked, "Were you able to protect Hermione from the jaunts of your brothers . . . or did she have to protect you?"   
  
  
Ron pulled a face as he answered, "Ha! Ha!" A knock sounded softly on the door. "Who is it?" Ron called in an irritated voice.   
  
  
There was no answer for a moment, then a quiet female voice said, "It's me . . . Hermione. Are you two already in bed?"   
  
  
Practically rushing to the door, Ron said, "No . . ." He flung open the door and stepped aside to usher the girl into the room. "We're not in bed yet. Come on in. Is there something wrong?"   
  
  
Hermione held out her broom. "I just wanted to give this to you. You said that you'd take a look at it."   
  
  
Ron took the broom, looking it over. "Oh yeah. That's right," he said in a low tone. Harry took out his broom kit and handed it over to his friend.   
  
  
"Can you fix it?" Hermione asked, watching Ron examine the broom carefully. Ron just mumbled something incoherent.   
  
  
After about a half an hour, Ron was completely immersed in trying to repair Hermione's broom. Not having anything else to do, Harry and Hermione headed down to get some drinks for them. On the way down the stairs, Harry asked, "So, how did your summer go?"   
  
  
Hermione shrugged, "Okay, I guess. I had all my homework done for the summer after the first three weeks." Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "My parents didn't let me leave the house much. I didn't really have much else to do. I was so glad when Ginny wrote to ask me to come stay for the end of the summer."   
  
  
They were just passing Ginny's room, which made Harry think about what had been said at dinner. Quietly, he asked, "Did you see the Ginny and Malfoy incident?"   
  
  
Shaking her head, Hermione answered, "No. I had just met up with Ginny, Fred, and George yesterday, so I had been running some errands this morning when it happened."   
  
  
Harry looked at her with surprise. "This morning? It just happened this morning?" Hermione nodded. Continuing, Harry asked, "Well then, did she talk to you about it later?"   
  
  
With a sigh, Hermione replied, "No, she didn't. And I asked. She just said that Malfoy was being a git and she handled it just fine."   
  
  
They had reached the kitchen and found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, and Percy sitting inside talking. Both parties ceased their conversations as Harry and Hermione retrieved some drinks. The two kids bid the adults good-night and left the room. As they did, they overheard Bill ask, "Do they know who attacked the bus?"   
  
  
Mr. Weasley's voice answered wearily, "No . . . just that it was Death Eaters. Needless to say, the Knight Bus is out of commission for awhile." Harry and Hermione glanced at each other, then headed back up the stairs.   
  
  
The trip back upstairs was much quieter than it had been on the way down as both Harry and Hermione were lost in their thoughts. As soon as they were back with Ron, they told him what they had overheard.   
  
  
"That's not good," Ron said with a frown. "If the Knight Bus is out of commission, then a lot of wizards and witches are going to be stranded. I heard Bill and Percy talking the other day about how as long as people could get away from the Death Eaters, they could always catch the Knight Bus to one of the safety zones."   
  
  
Harry and Hermione both gave their friend a bewildered look as Hermione asked, "What's a safety zone?"   
  
  
"Places like Hogwarts and Diagon Alley," Ron answered, going back to work on Hermione's broom. "There are several here in Great Britain . . . and more throughout the world. They all are heavily protected by charms, spells, and curses. And the only way to get into them is to be escorted in." Ron paused and looked up at his friends. "Dad told us all to head straight to the nearest one, which is Foster's Gallery, if anything . . . bad . . . ever happened here."   
  
  
Harry cocked his head to one side. "Is that why we're supposed to keep our brooms up in the bedroom?" Ron just nodded.   
  
  
Harry glanced at his Firebolt which was leaning against the corner next to Ron's broom. It suddenly dawned on him that they weren't completely safe even here at the Burrow. Moving over to his trunk, Harry pulled out the backpack that Hagrid had given to him. Now, he understood the meaning of the gift.   
  
  
While Ron worked on Hermione's broom and Hermione looked at the dusty collection of books the Ron owned, Harry pulled out his various treasures from his trunk and placed them carefully into the backpack. Everything from his father's letters to the box of sugar cubes went in. He, of course, placed his father's invisibility cloak on top. Picking out a few more items of importance, Harry closed up the pack and set it in the corner by his broom.  
  
  
  
It was just a few minutes to midnight before Ron finally finished working on Hermione's broom. Harry had practically fallen asleep sitting up on his cot. On the floor near Ron, Hermione sat reading quietly. Suddenly, the light from the lanterns in the room went out and then burst back on again. This happened a couple more times, bringing all three kids to their feet. Peering around nervously, Hermione asked, "What's going on? Is your mum trying to tell up to get to sleep?"   
  
  
Ron shook his head hesitantly. "I don't think so . . ."   
  
  
Just then, Mr. Weasley's voice boomed throughout the house, interrupting Ron. "DEATH EATERS!!! Evacuate to the safety zone! NOW!!!"   
  
  
The three kids looked at each other in shock, then Ron shoved the broom he was holding into Hermione's hands. "Come on," he insisted, pulling Hermione towards the window. "We've got to get out of here . . . especially you, Hermi. . ."   
  
  
The bedroom door burst open just then, causing all three to jump in fright. Into the room, holding a broom, ran George. "Get your brooms . . . We've got to go!"  
  
  
Harry had moved over to the corner with his and Ron's brooms. Quickly, he tossed Ron his Cleansweep and then grabbed up his Firebolt and the backpack. Just as Hermione straddled the window sill, she asked in a panicky voice, "What about Ginny?"   
  
  
"Fred's getting her," George answered, glancing nervously at the bedroom door. "Come on . . .Let's go!" With that said, Hermione found herself pushed out the window and onto her broom. Ron went next, then Harry and George. They hadn't flown too far when they met up with Fred and Ginny.   
  
  
"Everyone here okay?" Fred asked as he glanced around. Most nodded even though they all looked less than okay. Ginny looked completely dazed as she had been sleeping soundly when the attack happened.   
  
  
Ron, flying close to Hermione, yelled back to the twins, "What about the rest of the family? Shouldn't they be joining us?"   
  
  
George moved up to the other side of Hermione as he answered, "They'll Apparate to a safety zone location as soon as they think we're a safe distance away."   
  
  
Fred had taken the lead right in front of Hermione. "Until they do, they'll try to hold off the Death Eaters." The older boy looked back at the rest of the group as he continued, "We need to stay close together. Ron, George . . . you two stay on either side of Hermione. Ginny . . . fly right behind Hermione. Harry, take the rear and keep an eye on Ginny."   
  
  
The group flew in silence for awhile when George said, "If we should get separated and you get lost, just hold out your wand hand to call the Knight Bus."   
  
  
Ron, Harry, and Hermione all exchanged looks. "The Knight Bus is out of commission," Ron yelled to his brother. "Harry heard Dad say so." This time it was Fred and George who exchanged worried looks. "What should we do then if we can't use the Knight Bus?"   
  
  
Fred shrugged as he said dryly, "I'd suggest highly that we don't get separated or lost." A stream of green sparks suddenly flew across their path, causing them to break formation.   
  
  
"Death Eaters!" Hermione cried out. Harry looked below them and saw several figures on the ground. They would fall behind and then suddenly disappear only to reappear seconds later beneath where they were flying. Shots of the green sparks filled the night sky around the group. They were trying desperately to keep together, but it was getting difficult.   
  
  
Somehow, Ron had managed to stay right at Hermione's side. For the most part, they were able to keep up with Fred who was still in the lead. George, however, couldn't seem to get near them as the sparks shot between him and the others.   
  
  
Ginny seems to be having the hardest time as sparks constantly hit around her. Harry didn't want to lose sight of the others, but there was no way he was going to just leave Ginny behind on her own. "Come on, Gin," he called out encouragingly. "Try to get over here by me."   
  
  
Ginny swerved in his direction, but then had to pull her broom upward to avoid another spark. Harry thought for a second that something must have caught on fire, for the sky seemed to be filling with smoke. Glancing towards the others, his mouth dropped open in dismay. They were no where to be seen. Somehow, the group had managed to fly straight into a thick patch of fog.   
  
  
Harry, realizing that Ginny must have pulled her broom up above the fog, started to ascend. As soon as he broke through the clouds, he saw Ginny looking around desperately. When she caught sight of Harry, she smiled at him in relief. Harry glanced around, trying to see if any of the others were in sight too. But it was just him and Ginny.   
  
  
A sharp cry from Ginny made Harry turn back in her direction. What he saw made him want to cry out too. Ginny's broomstick was on fire. "Harry! Help!" the young girl called out as she clung tightly to her now out-of-control broom. She was definitely heading in another direction then they had been going.   
  
  
"Hold on," Harry yelled out to her. He put on a burst of speed and soon caught up to her. In the distance from whence they had come, green sparks continued to light up the sky. Harry reached out his hand to Ginny and said, "Try to grab my hand . . . I'll pull you onto my broom."   
  
  
Looking doubtful, Ginny asked, "Will it hold both of us?"   
  
  
Harry hadn't considered that. Never once had he ridden on a broom with another person. But he knew that whether it was possible or not, they had to make it work. "Of course it will," he answered, trying to sound confident. "You don't weigh That much, do you?"   
  
  
The look that he received from that question almost made him chuckle. Ginny stretched out her hand, then had to quickly put it back onto her broom. Her Shooting Star was so off balanced that as soon as she reached out, it started to spin wildly.   
  
  
Things didn't look very good as they tried a couple of more times and ended up with the same results.   
  
  
Time was running out for them. The tail end of the broom had nearly been completely burned away. Desperation in her voice, Ginny asked, "What if I try to land? There hasn't been any sparks, so maybe we lost them."   
  
  
Harry shook his head. "It's too risky. You might crash and hurt yourself. And they may be just waiting for you to fall to get you. It would be best if . . ."   
  
  
He didn't get the chance to say what would be best, for all of a sudden, Ginny's broom just stopped flying. Filled with horror, Harry watched as both broom and Ginny plummeted to the earth below. Then, without another second's hesitation, Harry flattened himself against his Firebolt and shot into the fastest dive of his life.   
  
  
The fog swooshed by him and he was soon able to make out the layout of the land below. They were over a very thick forest that stretched out for miles in all directions. A flash of red caught his eye and he zoomed for it. It was definitely Ginny . . . and with how far away she was, he didn't know if he could make it to her in time.   
  
  
"Come on . . . Come on," Harry said as he urged his broom to go faster. He suddenly realized that he seemed to be gaining on Ginny. But, it wasn't that he was going any faster . . . she seemed to be falling slower somehow. Harry wasn't sure if this was good or bad, but he felt more certain that he could reach her.   
  
  
Just as she reached the tree tops, Harry became even with her. He grabbed Ginny around the waist and managed to pull her onto his broom in front of him. Ginny had her eyes still closed, so as they flew down into the top branches of the trees, Harry said softly, "It's okay now, Ginny. I've got you . . . You're safe."   
  
  
The young girl opened her eyes and gave a small sob of surprise. "I thought . . . how did you reach me . . . Oh Harry, thank you!"   
  
  
Harry had his arms wrapped around Ginny's body so that he could keep a hold on her and the broom. When she turned back to thank him, he suddenly felt a bit awkward. Ginny, sitting sideways on the broom handle, put her arms around his waist and gave him a light hug. He could feel her trembling in his arms. With concern, he asked, "Are you cold?"   
  
  
She shook her head silently. He realized that she was probably still frightened from the fall . . . and in truth, so was he. He found himself wondering what had made her descent suddenly slow down as it did. He was about to ask Ginny if she knew when a searing pain shot through the scar on his head.   
  
  
"Harry! What's wrong?" he heard Ginny say with alarm.   
  
  
He wanted to reassure her that he was fine, but he couldn't. He couldn't even open his eyes. Nor could he handle the Firebolt. The last thing he heard was his own voice whisper, "I'm sorry," as the broom began to plunge downward.   
  
  
  
tbc  
  
  
  
***A/N: So? Want more? Yes, No, Maybe So? Leave a review and let me know. Thanks :-) 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the series. Just borrowing characters for fun.  
  
  
Chapter 4   
  
  
Everything was dark . . . and quiet. Harry, as he began to regain consciousness, became acutely aware of his aching body. There didn't seem to be a part on him that didn't hurt. Groaning, he opened his eyes and tried to sit up. As he did, Harry was surprised to feel something silky brush against the top of his head. It was too dark for him to see what it was . . . or anything else for that matter.  
  
  
Harry wasn't sure, but he thought that he could hear the sounds of slow rhythmic breathing. 'Ginny,' he thought with panic. Reaching out, his hand came in contact with a mess of soft, long hair. It was Ginny he could hear breathing, which meant she was still alive.   
  
  
Harry began to search around in his pockets for his wand. Finding it, he pulled it out and whispered, "Lumos". Immediately a soft glow shone from the tip on his wand. In the dim light, Harry could see Ginny lying next to him, sound asleep. Then glancing up, he noticed that they appeared to be in a makeshift tent or something. His Firebolt seemed to be propped up against a wall of some kind and a large cloth was being held up by it, draping down over he and Ginny.   
  
  
Running a finger across the material, Harry realized that he'd seen it before. It was his invisibility cloak. He looked around him and noticed his backpack lying nearby, opened. This seemed strange and Harry couldn't help feeling that he had missed out on something important.   
  
  
Shaking Ginny's shoulder lightly, Harry tried to wake her up. "Ginny," he whispered into her ear. "Wake up, Ginny!"   
  
  
The young girl shifted around on the ground without waking and murmured, "Not now, Harry . . . still sleepy."   
  
  
Harry blinked at her, then couldn't help blushing just a bit. "Sorry Gin . . . I really need you to wake up now."   
  
  
Ginny groaned in dismay, then slowly opened her eyes. She gave Harry a confused look as she asked, "Is it time for breakfast?" Not really knowing what to say to that, Harry just shook his head. The youngest Weasley frowned at the boy leaning over her and then grumbled, "Then why are you in my room?"   
  
  
"We're not in your room, Gin," Harry replied carefully. "I don't really know where we are."   
  
  
The __expression on Ginny's face went from sleepy, to annoyed, to confused, to finally total awareness. Slowly, she scooted up into a sitting position. "Oh yeah . . . we're in the tree hide-away."   
  
  
Harry gave her an odd look as he said, "Tree hide-away? Do you mean like a tree house or something?"   
  
  
Ginny shook her head. "No, not a tree house . . . a hide-away . . . inside the tree. The centaur brought us here and said that we should be safe. I don't think he realized how close by the Death Eaters were, though."   
  
  
Holding up one hand, Harry stopped Ginny from continuing. "You've lost me," he said, "What centaur? We're Inside the tree? And what do you mean that the Death Eaters are close by?" Ginny opened her mouth to answer, but Harry stopped her again. "Wait! Maybe you should start at the beginning. The last thing I remember was my scar hurting . . . and then losing control of the broom."   
  
  
Ginny nodded. "You passed out and we started to fall, but I managed to get control of the broom before we hit the ground. I also managed to hold you onto the broom while we went down. But, you're a bit too heavy and we kind of slipped backwards off the broom and fell a foot or so. I was trying to wake you up when the centaur showed up. Scared me to death, too. He just came over and picked you up. I was so afraid that he was going to take you away from me. But then he told me to climb on his back and he'd get us to somewhere safe."   
  
  
Harry interrupted her, asking, "Did this centaur tell you his name?"   
  
  
Nodding, Ginny said, "Uh huh . . . he said that you should remember him. His name was . . . um . . . Firenze . . . or something like that."   
  
  
"Firenze? Do you think we're near the Forbidden Forest? I didn't think we'd gone that far."   
  
  
"Oh no . . . we're no where near there. Firenze said that the stars told him he needed to come this way . . . that he would be needed. And it was a good thing he did. He had seen me falling and managed to use his magic to slow me down so you could reach me. When he saw us falling again, he came after us."   
  
  
That cleared up some things for Harry, but not everything. "So, he brought us here . . . Okay . . . then what happened?"   
  
  
Ginny frowned slightly. "He told me to keep us in here until you woke up. When you're up to it, we're supposed to go to the nearest safety zone . . . which is a ways away, I think. He said we should travel by day, so no flying. And we should hide at night. Then he left."   
  
  
Harry noticed Ginny suddenly shiver lightly. He watched her with concern as she continued to speak. "He had been gone maybe an hour when I heard a noise outside. At first, I thought he'd come back with help. But then, I realized that the voices didn't sound at all friendly. I'd discovered your invisibility cloak by then, so I did this up." She gestured to the makeshift tent they were in. "I wasn't sure if it would work, but it must have. One of the Death Eaters found the entrance to this hide out. I could hear him look around, then he yelled to the others that it was empty. I was so relieved when I heard the trunk close again.   
  
  
Giving her an impressed look, Harry said, "You saved our lives . . . Twice! I guess that makes us even."   
  
  
It confused the boy when Ginny muttered under her breath, "I suppose." She didn't seem very happy, though Harry doubted that she hadn't wanted to save their lives.   
  
  
"Thank you," he said to her softly. Even in the dim light of the wand, he could see her begin to blush.   
  
  
Suddenly, Ginny's eyes went wide and she looked at Harry with an _expression of terror. "Harry!" she exclaimed, "How long have you been using the Lumos spell?"   
  
  
Harry shrugged, "I don't know . . . ten minutes maybe . . . why?"   
  
  
Ginny looked like she was ready to bolt. "Put it out now!" she whispered with urgency. "It's summer and you're underage . . . the Ministry of Magic probably already knows that you did a spell and is on their way here to find you."   
  
  
Harry crinkled his forehead as he replied, "I don't understand . . . isn't that a good thing?"  
  
  
Shaking her head, Ginny said as they gathered up their things, "If someone from our side comes, then yeah . . . but not all the people in the Ministry of Magic are on our side. There are some whose alliance is unknown. It would be safer for us to get out of here now."   
  
  
Harry had to agree that she was right, so he quickly did the Nox spell as they prepared to leave the tree. When they got the entrance open, Harry peeked out. It looked clear. Taking his invisibility cloak, he wrapped it around him and Ginny. "Stay close to me," he whispered as they stepped outside.   
  
  
It wasn't completely dawn, so it was still difficult to see. A wind was blowing the leaves and twigs around, occasionally trying to blow off the cloak. Harry kept it tightly wrapped around him and Ginny as they moved away from the tree.   
  
  
Suddenly, they heard three loud POPs. They immediately froze. "Are you sure this was the area?" a voice said in the distance.   
  
  
"Of course it is. There are tree hide-aways around here . . . we should check all of them. Spread out."   
  
  
Ginny shifted closer to Harry and seemed to be gently tugging on his arm. He was hesitant to move as they might be discovered. But Ginny was insistent. So, as quietly and carefully as possible, they crept away from the strangers. The wind seemed to block the little noise that they did make as well as helped cover up the leaves they were moving around. The sounds of the people from the Ministry of Magic began to drift further and further away.   
  
  
When they reached a decent distance, Harry stopped Ginny with a hand on her arm. "Hold on, Gin. I've an idea. Maybe we can somehow fly with the invisibility cloak on." He couldn't really see her face well, but he figured from her lack of response that she was unsure of the idea. So, he urged, "Let's give it a go, Gin. We won't fly too high . . . and if it doesn't seem to be working, then we'll land immediately."   
  
  
Still there was silence. Then softly, Ginny answered, "All right. It would be good if we could fly . . . we'd make it to the safety zone quicker."   
  
  
That decided, the two teens went about trying to cover themselves and the broom with the invisibility cloak. It took some doing, but they finally got it all covered. Harry sat in the front where he could see to fly. Ginny was right behind him. "Ready," Harry asked a bit nervously."   
  
  
"Just a sec," Ginny answered as she shifted around behind him.   
  
  
"What's the matter," Harry questioned.   
  
  
"I feel as if I'm going to fall off if we leave the ground."   
  
  
Harry could clearly hear the fear in her voice and he didn't at all blame her for it. Twice in one night, she had fallen with the broom she was on. Most anyone would be nervous about trying to fly again right after that. And it probably didn't help that she would be flying with someone else in complete control. "It might help if you hold on to me instead of the broom," Harry suggested hesitantly.   
  
  
Ginny seemed to stiffen behind him and then he felt her two small hands grip on to his waist. "Okay," he said with a deep breath. "Let's go." And with that, he kicked off and they rose, somewhat wobbly, into the air. The broom gave a sudden lurch downward, making Harry grasp tightly to the broom to control it.   
  
  
As he got the broom to steady out, he realized that Ginny was now clinging tightly to him with both her arms wrapped around his waist. It also felt as if she had her head buried into the back of his shirt. And for a fleeting moment, it occurred to him that he rather liked the feeling of her being so close. Then the broom lurched again and his attention went back to flying.   
  
  
After about an hour, they decided to give up. It was just too difficult to maneuver the broom and the constant ups and downs were making them both a bit nauseated. So, finding a large patch of trees, they landed.   
  
  
The first thing they did when they reached the ground was throw off the invisibility cloak. Both took in some deep breaths of relief. Harry became aware that Ginny still was holding on to him, but he wasn't sure how to ask her to let go . . . or if he even wanted to. Ginny must have realized what she was doing on her own as she quickly let go of him and jumped off the broom. When he glanced back at her, he could see that she was trying to hide her blushing cheeks.   
  
  
Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, Harry said offhandedly, "We should try to find some water and food."   
  
  
Ginny gave a little gasp then began to reach for Harry's backpack. Explaining, she said, "I forgot . . . Firenze gave us some food and water. I put it in your pack after I took out your invisibility cloak." She pulled out a cloth sack and a leather pouch. They sat down on the invisibility cloak and opened up the sack.   
  
  
Inside were some small apples, biscuits, some kind of dark tree bark, and dried berries and figs. Each taking a biscuit and some berries, they ate in silence. Harry glanced over what remained, then asked, "How far do you think it will take us to get to the safety zone?"   
  
  
Ginny thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I'm not sure. Firenze said to follow the path of the sun . . . it wouldn't take long. But I don't know if he meant in terms of our ability to travel or his."   
  
  
Nodding, Harry understood what she was referring to. Centaurs could move swiftly over large distances. Harry knew that he and Ginny wouldn't be able to do the same. "How will we know exactly where the safety zone is?"   
  
  
With a light sigh, Ginny answered, "Firenze said that there's one in a small town East of here . . . on the coast. We're to go to the Lancer's Inn and ask for Reese."   
  
  
Harry added his own sigh. "We'll have to check every town we come across till we find the Inn. That might take some time. I don't think this food is going to last us very long. We'll need to find some more supplies."   
  
  
Ginny peered up at Harry as she whispered, "I'm sorry, Harry. This is all my fault."   
  
  
"Your fault?" Harry said, obviously startled by her words. "Ginny? How is it your fault?"   
  
  
Ginny looked away from the older boy as she replied, "My broom got hit. I was the one that fell. You're only here because you're too noble to abandon anyone . . . even me."   
  
  
Harry nearly spat out in surprise, "Even You!? Gin, you're right that I would never abandon anyone who I felt needed help . . . especially one of my friends. And it has nothing to do with whether I'm noble or not. It was the right thing to do. Just like Professor Dumbledore said last spring. If you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened . . . to . . . to . . ."   
  
  
He couldn't say it. He wanted to. He Needed to. It seemed to be on the tip of his tongue, longing to burst from his anguished soul. As he fought back the tears that were threatening to spill from his emerald eyes, Harry said in a voice that was breaking slightly, "I don't want to lose anyone else, Gin . . . I don't want to lose anyone else to Voldemort. When I saw you fall . . . and I didn't think I could reach you . . ."   
  
  
Ginny placed a hand over Harry's. "You're right, Harry. It's not my fault that we're here. But, it's not yours either."   
  
  
Harry glanced up sharply. "I should have destroyed Voldemort the first time . . . or I should have let Sirius and Lupin kill Pettigrew. If I had, then None of this would be happening. And . . . and . . . and Cedric would still be alive."   
  
  
There! He'd finally said it. It took all the energy he had to finally say it aloud. All summer he avoided facing his guilt . . . his anger . . . his sorrow. Now, he couldn't hold any of it back. With a surge of fury, Harry jumped to his feet and grabbed a large branch off the ground. Raising it above his head, he brought it smashing down to the ground, shattering it into pieces. As he did, he grumbled and muttered about how it all was because of him and how he was losing everything to Voldemort because he wasn't strong enough to face him. Finally, too weak to even snap a twig in half, Harry fell to the ground and buried his face in his hands, sobbing.   
  
  
He had forgotten about Ginny being there until he felt her small, cool hand gently stroke the top of his head. She knelt down on the ground next to him. Unable to help himself, Harry leaned towards the young girl who wrapped him in a comforting embrace. She didn't tell him to calm down . . . or even to quiet down. She didn't say anything at all. Instead, she just held him while he let all the pain and anguish out in heart-wrenching sobs.  
  
  
How long they sat there like that, Harry didn't know. But, they did until he'd drained himself of all his tears. As his sobs turned into light hiccups, Ginny silently handed him a handkerchief. Harry dried his tears, then looked up at the girl before him. "Thanks," he said in a low, scratchy voice.   
  
  
Ginny gave him a gentle smile as she replied, "That's what friends are for." She stood up, then reached down for Harry's hand. Awkwardly, he took her hand and got to his own feet.   
  
  
They collected their things, repacking up the food and the invisibility cloak. Then, they set off walking in the direction the sun was heading. Harry found himself glancing shyly over at Ginny as they walked along. He was starting to feel embarrassed about breaking down like he had in front of her. But he couldn't have stopped it from happening no matter how hard he might have tried. All those emotions wanted out. And now, he just felt drained, sad, and upset that he had not been able to save Cedric.   
  
  
Ginny suddenly broke the silence by asking, "Why do you blame yourself for Cedric's death, Harry? It wasn't your fault that he was there."   
  
  
"Actually," Harry said slowly, "It was my fault. Cedric really should have reached the cup first, but he came back to help me. We went up to the cup together, then he'd wanted me to take the cup . . . I suggested that we both take it. If I would have just taken the cup alone like he'd suggested then . . ."   
  
  
"Then you wouldn't be Harry Potter," Ginny stated firmly.   
  
  
"The Harry Potter . . . the Boy Who Lived, you mean."   
  
  
It startled Harry when Ginny snorted at that. "Not that Harry Potter, silly. That one's just a legend. I'm talking about who you really are. The boy who lives, yes . . . but also the boy who laughs . . . helps . . . and at times, even makes mistakes." Harry made a mumbling sound about that being right on.   
  
  
They walked in silence some more before Ginny suddenly blurted out, "Why did you save me?" Harry was puzzled by this question as he thought that he had already explained this. He began to speak, but Ginny went on to say, "I'm not referring to last night. Why did you come after me . . . when I was taken to the Chamber of Secrets?"   
  
  
Harry wasn't sure how to answer that at first. Finally, he replied, "I had to."   
  
  
"But why?" Ginny insisted. "By all rights, I should have been thought dead. Why go after a dead person?"   
  
  
Harry shook his head as if trying to organize his thoughts. "I had to . . . if there'd been even the tiniest of chances that you were still down there . . . alive . . . I had to try and get you out of there."   
  
  
Again Ginny asked, "But Why?"   
  
  
Harry almost immediately blurted out, "Because it was what was right."   
  
  
Ginny nodded at his answer, then asked, "And do you regret or feel guilty about it?"   
  
  
Harry looked at her oddly as he said, "Of course not."   
  
  
"Because it was the right thing to do?" she stated, then paused as Harry nodded. "Just like sharing the Tri-Wizard Cup with Cedric had been the right thing to do. Your intentions were just and good, Harry . . . It was," and this she spit out, "Riddle that was to blame. It's because of Riddle that we are out here." Ginny's normally warm brown eyes shone with determination as she added in a firm tone, "And it will be Riddle that will answer for all he's done someday."   
  
  
Harry stared over at Ginny in total amazement. Never had he heard her speak with such passion . . . such emotion in her voice. In truth, she had probably said more to him that day than she ever had in all the years he knew her. No longer did Ginny appear to be a little girl . . . Ron's baby sister . . . the youngest Weasley. Instead, Harry realized she was her own person . . . strong, sensitive, and amazing.   
  
  
Reaching over, Harry scooped her hand into his as he said sincerely, "Gin . . . I'm so glad that I've got you as a friend." She blushed lightly as he went on. "We're going to make it through this . . . get back home safely. And once we're back, then . . . then I'd like to be as much of a friend to you as you've been to me. If you'll let me, that is." Ginny just gave him a shy smile.   
  
  
No town came up on their journey East for that day. It was nearing dusk when they finally reached the edge of the forest. Harry looked around, but as far as he could see, there was no shelter available other than the forest. "We should probably stop here for the night," he said, noting the look of dismay that Ginny shot him. "Tomorrow, we can tackle that open area . . . but I don't think it would be safe for us to stay out there at night."   
  
  
Ginny nodded, though still frowned. They searched the section of trees they were by, but couldn't find another tree hide-away. In the end, they had to settle for a small space underneath the low branches of a tree and some shrubbery to make a semi-shelter for them.   
  
  
As it was getting dark, they had a quick dinner of some more of the food Firenze had given them. They got themselves ready for the night, trying to get as comfortable as possible. However, they hit a bit of a snag when they tried to figure out the best way to use the invisibility cloak. Should they use it as a ground cover or as a blanket to keep them warm? They finally concluded, after some embarrassed hesitation, to try to make it work as both. Harry suggested that they fold it in half, so they could both keep warm and yet not have to sleep on the dirt.   
  
  
This, of course, turned out to be very awkward. After determining that it would be too dangerous to risk having even a small fire, they decided to just turn in for the night. It was getting too dark to see very well. Rather clumsily, they laid the cloak down. Harry had decided that Ginny should sleep on the folded side of the cloak, and he on the open side. "That way if there's any trouble, I'll be able to get out quickly to protect us," he explained. He wasn't sure, but he thought that Ginny made an odd huffing sound at his statement.   
  
  
The two shifted around, trying to get comfortable . . . but neither seemed to be able to do so. Finally, Ginny whispered, "Harry? . . . I can't sleep. Can you?"   
  
  
Sighing with a bit of frustration, Harry answered, "No . . . I can't. My body is definitely worn out, but my mind just won't quiet down."   
  
  
"Same here," Ginny said softly. "Do you think that it's safe enough for us to talk till we get sleepier?"   
  
  
Harry, not seeing why it wouldn't be, replied, "It should be . . . as long as we're quiet. What'd you want to talk about?"   
  
  
He could feel Ginny shrug her shoulders, then she said, "Well, I am a little curious about something that you said earlier."   
  
  
"What was that?" Harry questioned.   
  
  
Slowly she asked, "When you said that you should have let Sirius and Lupin kill Pettigrew . . . were you referring to Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew?"   
  
  
Harry's breath caught. He hadn't realized that he'd said that aloud. But he obviously had. He knew that he could lie or make up something to pacify Ginny . . . but he didn't want to. It hit him that she had been the first person that he'd really talked to about the Third task . . . and it had felt good. He wanted to become better friends with her and opening up to her about his past . . . and the truth was a good place to start. So, in a quiet voice, Harry told Ginny all about Sirius Black, his godfather, and what had happened to him.   
  
  
Ginny had been so quiet during his talking, that Harry thought she might have fallen asleep. But when he finished, she stated quietly, "So . . . that was who that dog was. I thought he was just a stray . . . I'd even left some scraps out for him. If I'd known he was your godfather, then I would have gotten him something better than dry bread and left over meat. The poor man."   
  
  
He couldn't help it, but Harry found the thought of Sirius getting scraps of food from Ginny to be slightly amusing. "Actually, what seemed like just scraps to us, probably was a feast to him." Harry paused a second as he realized that for the first time, he understood what it felt like to be on the run. "I think that right now those scraps would seem like a feast to me."   
  
  
Ginny nodded in the dark as she added, "Me too." Then after a moment, she chuckled softly as she whispered, "He was such a big ol' brute, but as gentle as a lamb. He always looked happy to see me. Did you know, I even named him? I called him Blackie."   
  
  
"Blackie?" Harry repeated, "I'll have to tell him that." For awhile, Harry fell silent. It occurred to him that at the moment, he had no way of knowing whether Sirius was still alive and hiding or if something had happened to him. For that matter, he wasn't even sure if Ron and Hermione were okay. With dismay, Harry realized that the entire wizarding world could be torn apart at the second and he was unable to do anything about it.   
  
  
Ginny's voice cut through his thoughts as she asked, "You do think that they're all okay, don't you?" She must have been thinking along the same lines as him.   
  
  
Quietly, he answered, "I don't know, Gin . . . I really don't know."   
  
  
The two teens lay silently for awhile, listening to the sounds of the night forest. "I thought when the Death Eaters showed up at the Burrow . . . and later when they were looking for us by the tree hide-away, that we'd be goners for sure. From what I've heard, not too many ever escape an attack. But, I don't think they usually attack such a large group of people . . . and they didn't have any Dementors with them."   
  
  
Harry looked sharply in the direction of where Ginny was as he said, "Dementors? What have they to do with the attacks? I thought they were all at Azkaban." He paused only a second before adding, "And how do you know whether there were any there at the house or not?"   
  
  
Ginny didn't answer right away. When she did, her voice seemed very tense. "No one told you? . . . the Dementors joined league with the Death Eaters . . . and freed all the prisoners."   
  
  
"What!?" Harry exclaimed a bit too loudly. Lowering his voice, he continued, "Do you mean to tell me that we've not only got the Death Eaters who'd remained free, but also the imprisoned ones? . . . And the Dementors?"   
  
  
Ginny whispered back, "I'm afraid so. That's why the attacks have been more frequent . . . and more deadly."  
  
  
Harry shook his head in the dark as he pondered upon this new information. It definitely wasn't good. From the sound of it, Voldemort's followers were growing in number while those opposing the Dark Lord were being killed off right and left.   
  
  
Again, Ginny interrupted his thoughts as she went on to say, "And . . . I know that there were no Dementors at the house because I didn't sense them."   
  
  
Shifting more to his side to face Ginny, Harry asked, "What do you mean? I know that when they enter a room that it goes icy cold . . . and they dredge up old horrible memories, but you wouldn't have been able to sense them all the way upstairs in your room . . . right?"   
  
  
"Um . . ." Ginny mumbled, not replying for a moment. Finally, she slowly said, "Actually, I seem to be able to sense them from far away. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's almost like I hear this horrid groaning in my head. And as they get closer, it gets louder. As soon as I'm in the same room as them, I get so cold and nauseated . . . the things I hear and see . . . some are my memories . . . some aren't."   
  
  
Harry stared in Ginny's direction. "Whose are they then?" he asked in a hushed tone.   
  
  
In a similar tone, Ginny answered, "Riddle's."   
  
  
Harry gasped, "You mean you can see some of Voldemort's memories?"  
  
  
He could feel Ginny shaking her head as she quickly replied, "No . . . not His . . . only Riddle's. From his first sixteen or seventeen years."   
  
  
Silently, Harry mulled this over in his head before asking, "So, what exactly do you see . . . or hear? Like on the train two years ago . . ."   
  
  
Ginny took a deep breath, then told Harry, "That was the first time I'd ever been near any of them. I remember that the lights all went out and the train stopped. There was that humming noise, but no one I was with could hear it. So, I decided to try and find Ron or the twins. That's when I ran into Hermione."   
  
  
"And you tried to sit on me," Harry added in a somewhat teasing tone.   
  
  
Giggling, Ginny said, "Well, how was I supposed to know you were sitting there?" Not giving him the chance to answer, she went on, "Anyway, once I sat down on a seat, the humming got really loud. I never heard the door open . . . or saw the Dementor. I had closed my eyes because Riddle's voice was screaming in my head. He was telling the Basilisk to sleep. He would call for it when . . . well . . . as soon as you arrived."   
  
  
Harry interrupted, "You were reliving that day in the Chamber of Secrets?"   
  
  
Ginny made a small noise of agreement. "Right before everything went black, Riddle told me that soon not only would I be dead, but . . . but also . . . the famous Harry Potter. Oh Harry, when the noise in my head finally stopped and I saw you lying on the floor of the train compartment . . . I thought you were dead . . . and it was all my fault."   
  
  
Awkwardly, Harry reached over and patted Ginny's shoulder. As they were facing each other, he could almost make out the __expression of sadness on the girl's face. "I remember when I woke up, you looked so upset. I thought it was because of seeing the Dementor." Harry paused a second, then added as a means of comfort, "Well, at least you didn't pass out like I did."   
  
  
Ginny didn't make any kind of response for a moment, then she whispered, "Not that time, I didn't . . . but I did at the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match. Everyone thought it was because of you falling; but I never even saw you fall off the broom. One minute I'd been watching you . . . um, the game . . . and the next, I was hearing that day in the Chamber again. And then, I was listening to this woman and, I think, two men. The woman was crying hysterically. One of the men said to someone else that he was no son of his . . . that his mother was a witch . . . and he called her some rude names. Then . . . I heard Riddle's voice."   
  
  
Ginny was barely speaking loud enough for Harry to hear her, so he leaned towards her a bit. "He used the Unforgivable Curse . . . the one to kill . . . on all three of the people. And he laughed. The whole time he was killing them, he laughed."   
  
  
Neither spoke for awhile. Harry had always thought that he had been the only one effected so badly by the Dementors. But Ginny, he realized, had difficulty with them too. And seemed to not only have her worst memories to endure, but apparently some of Tom Riddle's as well. "You know, Gin," Harry stated slowly, "There's a way to fight the Dementors. Maybe some time I can teach you how. Professor Lupin taught me . . . it's called the Patronus Charm."   
  
  
"I think that I've heard of that," Ginny said quietly. "It creates some kind of barrier or something, doesn't it?"   
  
  
Harry nodded in the dark. "Something like that. It usually takes on a form of some sort. Mine is in the form of a Stag . . . that's what my father's animagus shape was too."   
  
  
Beginning to feel a bit drained both emotionally as well as physically, Harry couldn't stifle a yawn. He noticed that Ginny was more relaxed next to him and figured that she was feeling the same. "It's getting pretty late and we don't know how much walking we'll need to do tomorrow. We should probably get some sleep."   
  
  
Ginny answered back with a small yawn of her own, then said, "Yeah . . . we probably should." She shifted around until her back was facing Harry. When Harry moved so he too was facing away, their backs leaned against each other lightly. "G'nite, Harry," Ginny murmured softly, "Thanks for talking with me."   
  
  
Harry quietly replied with, "Yeah . . . I'm glad we talked. Sweet dreams, Ginny." His last thoughts as he drifted off were of his friends . . . hoping all were okay. And then one last thought slipped through his consciousness. It dawned on him that never before had he felt so warm and relaxed when going to sleep. Ginny snuggled a bit against his back and Harry fell asleep with a tiny smile on his face.   
  
  
When Harry awoke the next morning, he immediately felt that something was wrong. But, he couldn't figure out what. He knew that he wasn't at his uncle's house; nor was he at the Burrow. He was outside, under a tree, with . . . Ginny!   
  
  
Harry's eyes snapped open as it dawned on him that the warmth from Ginny's back against his was gone. Sitting up quickly, he smacked his head against a low branch. However, the sight of the empty space next to him made him ignore the pain he felt. Ginny was gone!   
  
  
In a flash, Harry scrambled out of the cloak and from under the tree. He hadn't even stood up completely when he crashed into someone. Falling down, Harry glanced over at the person who was now sitting on the ground next to him.   
  
  
"Ginny!" he exclaimed, both relieved and agitated. "Where were you? I thought something happened to you . . ."   
  
  
Blushing deeply, Ginny whispered, "Sorry, Harry. I had to . . . take care of something. You were sound asleep and I didn't want to disturb you."   
  
  
Immediately, Harry understood what Ginny was referring to which, of course, made the heat rise in his own cheeks. "Well, I understand, but . . . to be on the safe side, we should always know where the other is while we're out here. No going off on our own unless the other knows exactly where the other is. Okay?"   
  
  
Ginny nodded silently, still looking extremely embarrassed. Looking a bit embarrassed himself, Harry then muttered, "So . . . um . . . if you want to start gathering up our things. . . I'll just . . . take care of something too . . . then I'll help you out." Keeping his eyes averted from Ginny's face, Harry got up and wandered off to find some privacy.   
  
  
Ten minutes later, they were heading out across the wide open meadow. Harry carried the backpack with everything except the invisibility cloak. He gave that to Ginny to carry in case they would need it suddenly. Being out in the open, as they were now, was a bit unnerving.   
  
  
Nearly an hour passed in silence when Ginny said, "I think Malfoy knew we were to be attacked."   
  
  
She had said it so matter-of-factly that Harry didn't react right away. When he did, it was with an intense alarm. "Why do you say that?" he asked. "Did he say something to you in Diagon Alley?"   
  
  
Ginny nodded as she answered, "He said a lot of things . . . but he didn't outright say that we'd be attacked."   
  
  
Harry glanced at her. He knew that she had refused to tell her brothers and Hermione what had happened with Malfoy, so why should she open up to him? 'Things are different now,' he thought as he continued to watch the young girl. "So . . . what was said?" he asked in a low tone.   
  
  
Ginny's gaze diverted suddenly to the ground. It seemed to Harry that she was trying to decide what to say . . . or if she should say anything at all. Finally, her soft voice filled the air. "I was shopping when he came up behind me. At first, I didn't even know he was there. Then, when I turned, I found him standing there just staring at me. I have no idea how long he'd been standing there like that. And the way he was looking at me . . . it was strange. I tried to avoid a confrontation by walking away, but . . . he followed me. I guess that I got angry that he wouldn't leave me alone, so . . . I turned on him . . . with my wand. The prat just laughed at me and went through his usual spiel about my family and our money situation and so on."   
  
  
Pausing, Ginny grinned a bit as she giggled lightly. "I could have said the whole thing with him . . . I've heard it so much. As it was, I started to act like I was terribly bored. I yawned even. That just irritated the stupid git."   
  
  
She stopped talking again, looking in front of her with a serious look once more. "Then he, out of the blue, started telling me that I was at least redeemable. The rest of my family had no hope. Especially my Dad, because of his love for Muggles; and Ron, because of . . .well, cause of Hermione. He had the nerve to tell me that all I'd need to do to become a respectable witch was to put on some decent robes, dye my hair, and . . . and change my last name."   
  
  
Again, Ginny went silent. Harry could tell that she wasn't saying everything that had been said or happened. Before he could try to pry more from her, she stated, "I basically told him what he could do with his ruddy decent robes and hair dye . . . and that I'd rather be a poor, but good person with the last name of Weasley, then a rich, over-indulged, uncouth git named Malfoy."   
  
  
Harry had to smile at that. He could picture Malfoy's face as he was being called a rich, over-indulged, uncouth git . . . though Harry did have a hard time imagining Ginny as being the one saying it to him. "What happened then?" he asked, figuring that it couldn't have been pleasant.   
  
  
"He got mad . . . acted more like a stupid git . . . then, he said something odd. He told me that I deserved what was coming to me. He said something about him having wanted to help me by giving me a chance, but I could just rot with the rest of my family."   
  
  
"So," Harry said slowly, as he thought aloud, "He was trying to warn you about the attacks? That doesn't make any sense."   
  
  
A small tug on Harry's arm interrupted his pondering. Ginny had seized the sleeve of his sweater, trying to get his attention. She was pointing at something in the distance. Harry scooted over towards her and smiled as he saw what she was pointing to. They had reached a Muggle town at last.   
  
  
  
***Author's note: Thanks again for reading this story so far. I'll try to have chapter 5 up as soon as possible. If you have the time and desire to, I'd love to hear your thoughts on these first four chapters. ~~Robin 


	5. Chapter 5a

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the series. Just borrowing it for fun.  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Harry and Ginny snuck their way towards the town. Not wanting to be seen by anyone . . . Muggle or wizard . . . they hid behind trash bins, parked cars, trees, or whatever was available. As they were ducking down behind a shed in the backyard of a small white house, Harry whispered to Ginny, "This isn't going to work like this. We need to just walk out there and blend in with everyone else."  
  
  
Ginny frowned, then glanced down at herself. "Do many Muggles wander around in their night clothes?" she asked in a doubtful tone.  
  
  
For the first time, Harry truly noticed that Ginny only had on her nightdress and dressing gown. It wasn't that he hadn't looked at her before this and seen her outfit . . . it just never really registered before that it was her sleep wear. "No," he finally answered, "We need to find you some Muggle clothes."  
  
  
He wasn't really sure how they were going to do that as they had no money. But ... given the circumstances ... he needed to do whatever was necessary to get them to the safety zone. "Why don't you wait here and I'll see if I can't find you something . . ."  
  
  
Harry had started to get up when Ginny grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. "You can't leave me!" she exclaimed with almost wide-eyed horror. "You just said this morning that neither of us should leave the other without the other knowing exactly where the other one is. If you go off . . . I won't know where you are . . ."  
  
  
"Okay . . . okay!" Harry sighed lightly, sitting back down by the redhead. "You're right, Gin," he stated quietly. "It's too risky to split up. Okay . . . we'll just have to stay out of sight until we find you a change of clothes." So, together, they left the back of the shed and headed deeper into the town.  
  
  
As they reached a more active section of the town, Harry wrapped the invisibility cloak around Ginny so she wouldn't be seen. Every once in awhile, they would stop and look around for the Lancer's Inn. So far, though, their search was unsuccessful.   
  
  
They had just turned down a side street that led away from the town when Harry spotted something. "Look, Gin," he said in an excited yet hushed voice. "It's one of those places where people drop of good used clothes for charity."  
  
  
Ginny, peeking out of the invisibility cloak, looked as if she didn't have a clue to what he was talking about. Not wanting to take the time to explain, Harry readjusted the cloak to cover her again and grabbed at what he hoped was her hand to pull her closer to the charity drop off.  
  
  
"Let me have the cloak for a moment," Harry whispered quickly. Ginny reappeared as she removed the cloak and handed it to him. Harry tossed it over himself and vanished. Leaving Ginny, he silently walked over to the tables of clothing that were outside. It appeared that someone had been sorting all of the clothes.  
  
  
After a few minutes, Harry found a table of girls' clothes. He began to rummage through the pile when an old woman suddenly came out of the building. She was carrying a large stack of clothes . . . and heading straight for Harry. Keeping the cloak over him, Harry ducked beneath the table. He could hear the woman moving around near him, humming while she worked.  
  
  
It felt like an eternity before he finally heard her wander back into the building. Peeking out from the cloak, Harry made sure that the coast was clear before he got up and went back to the table he'd been searching through. There on top of the piles of clothes was a simple denim pinafore. An emerald colored short sleeved shirt was matched with it. Harry picked it up, shrugged, then hurried back over to where he had left Ginny.  
  
  
Tossing off the invisibility cloak, Harry startled Ginny. "Sorry," he said with a hint of a grin. He held out the dress to her. "I didn't get a good chance to look . . . and I didn't know what size you'd need. Hopefully, this will be okay."  
  
  
Ginny took the garment from him and smiled shyly at him. She then glanced around, looking for a place to change. There was another small shed in the alley they were in. While Ginny disappeared inside it, Harry stood in front of the door like a guard.  
  
  
It wasn't long before Ginny came out of the shed, dressed in her new outfit. The first thing Harry noticed was that the dress was slightly too big for her . . . but it looked sort of cute that way. The second thing he noticed was how red her hair looked against the denim blue and the emerald green. "Well?" she inquired as she spun around.  
  
  
"Um . . . it looks okay. Is it okay with you?" Harry watched as she stopped spinning, the smoothed down the front of the pinafore.  
  
  
When she looked back up at him, her brown eyes were sparkling. "Oh yes . . . I think it's just lovely. I'm sure my dad wo. . ." She stopped, biting her lip lightly.  
  
  
Harry knew what she had been about to say. He also knew that there was a chance that Mr. Weasley would never see the dress . . . it all depended on whether he was alive or not. Hoping to cheer Ginny up, he said gently, "Your dad will love it, Gin . . . and so will your mum."  
  
  
Ginny just nodded appreciatively. Gathering up their things, Harry began to lead them out into the town. A soft, "Oh wait!" made him stop.   
  
  
Turning, he saw Ginny standing there holding her nightdress and dressing robe. "Do you want to put those into the backpack?" he offered.   
  
  
But Ginny shook her head no. "Those clothes . . . where you got this dress from . . . whose are they?"  
  
  
Harry shrugged, "Anyone who needs them, I suppose. People give clothes they don't need anymore to people who do need them."  
  
  
Ginny nodded in understanding, then said quickly, "Right, then . . . I'll just be a second." Before Harry could react, Ginny dashed back towards the tables of clothes. Just as she sat her night dress and dressing gown on the table, two things happened. First, Harry realized that he hadn't mentioned anything about the old woman who'd interrupted him earlier. And second . . . the old woman appeared in the doorway.  
  
  
"Well, thank-you, young lady," the woman called, causing Ginny to startle with alarm. "Oh dear," she then exclaimed, rushing to the surprised girl's side. "I didn't mean to scare you, Lambie . . . just wanted to thank you for the donation."  
  
  
Ginny seemed to have found her voice as she replied, "You're welcome, Madam."  
  
  
Harry was surprised to see the older lady smile brightly at Ginny. It was clear that Ginny seemed unsure of how to exit. Hiding the invisibility cloak and Firebolt, Harry walked over to Ginny and the woman and said, "Hello."  
  
  
The woman turned her gaze onto Harry. "Well, hello there, young man." Ginny inched closer to Harry out of nervousness. The woman smiled warmly at them, her eyes twinkling with amusement. For some reason, it made Harry think of Professor Dumbledore.  
  
  
Turning to Ginny, he said, "We need to keep going, Gin."  
  
  
Ginny nodded and moved to follow him, but both were stopped by the woman. "Could I possibly trouble the two of you for a moment?" The kids glanced at each other, then back at the woman. "You see . . . I'm not as young as I used to be. But I still seem to have as much to do as ever. I was hoping that perhaps the two of you could help me bring these tables into the building. It's supposed to rain tonight, you know . . . and I just don't think I can get it all myself."  
  
  
Harry wasn't sure what to say. Looking over at Ginny, he expected her to be feeling the same. He was surprised to find her gazing closely at a nearby tree. Harry turned back to the woman and said, "Well, madam, I'm . . ."  
  
  
"We would love to help you out, madam," Ginny said suddenly, cutting Harry off. "Just show us what you need done and we'll take care of it." Next to her, Harry stood gawking. For some reason, he thought Ginny seemed to be up to something. Although, he wasn't sure just what.  
  
  
"Oh wonderful, children," the woman cooed as she motioned for them to follow her. Harry tried to catch Ginny's eye to relay his curiosity, but she ignored him. "Of course, as it's getting nearer to supper time, I'll insist that you both dine with me . . . as payment for your help."  
  
  
Harry spoke up quickly, "That won't be necessary, madam. We're just happy to be of assistance."  
  
  
The woman chuckled as she replied, "Well, we'll see. In the meantime, I do believe that this 'madam' business is going to have to go. My name is Ms. Diana Myer. And I believe that you called this young lady, Jen . . . is that short for Jennifer?"  
  
  
Ginny opened her mouth to correct her, but Harry nudged her lightly as he said, "Um, yes, madam . . . I mean, Ms. Myer. This is Jennifer and my name's . . . Henry."  
  
  
Ms. Myer nodded as she replied, "Very nice to meet you, Jennifer . . . Henry. You two aren't from around here. Are you just passing through?"  
  
  
The questioning was making Harry a little nervous. He wasn't sure how much he could trust this woman. So, he quickly lied, "Yes, Ms. Myer. My neighbor asked me to escort Jen back home from visiting her . . . cousins." Ms. Myer didn't really look like she was convinced with this story.  
  
  
They'd gone inside this large warehouse that was cluttered with bags of donations and furniture and such. As Ms. Myer led them to an area that was nearly empty, Ginny spoke up. "I told my father that I didn't need to be escorted . . . he's So overprotective . . . I'm an only child, you see." Harry's eyebrows raised at this as he stared at the girl next to him. Ginny went on, "But, it was a very good thing that Henry came to fetch me. Why, we had just started our journey back when . . . oh, it was awful . . . these horrible boys stole almost all our things . . . including our money. So, we've been walking back home ever since."  
  
  
Ms. Myer gasped, "Oh, you poor dears. No wonder you both look so weary. I'll tell you what. Let's just quickly pull those tables in here, then we'll head off to my house. You two can have a nice home cooked meal and rest yourselves."  
  
  
Ginny smiled affectionately at the older woman as Harry just nodded hesitantly. He wasn't sure if going to this lady's house was a good idea . . . but the thought of a home cooked meal was more than he could refuse.  
  
  
Pulling the tables in was harder than what they had thought it would be. It took them nearly two and a half hours to get it done. But, they did. And not too long after, they were stepping into a small, tidy house a couple of blocks down the road. "Come on in, children. Make yourselves at home. I'll get you both some towels and such, and you can get cleaned up. I've a shower upstairs that you can use, Henry . . . and a tub on this floor for you, Jen. There's some bubble bath in there too, if you'd like. Go on and take your time. I'll be getting supper around."  
  
  
Ginny gave Harry a nervous look. He wasn't too thrilled with the sudden separation. Although, a shower sounded pretty good. Giving Ginny an encouraging smile, he said, "Come on, Jen. I'll see you to the loo."  
  
  
He led her off by placing his hand against her back and guiding her gently. As he did, he whispered, "It should be okay . . . just keep the door locked till I come back for you."  
  
  
Ginny nodded, then slipped into the bathroom. Harry switched on the light for her, then waited in the hall until he heard the lock click on the door. Knowing that Ginny was safe, he headed up the stairs for his shower.  
  
  
After a longer than necessary shower, Harry felt much better. He was just drying off when there was a tap on the bathroom door. Harry froze, too startled to say anything.  
  
  
"Hello?" came Ms. Myer's voice through the door. "Henry, dear? . . . I've brought you up some clean undergarments, if you'd like. I'll just leave them on the floor outside the door for you." Silence radiated from the hall, making Harry wonder if the old woman had left. He had just started to reach for the doorknob when Ms. Myer's voice rang out again. "Oh . . . and Henry . . . I've some items for Jen too, but she refuses to open the door until you tell her it's okay. Whenever you're finished up here, you'll need to let her know that it's okay for her to retrieve them."  
  
  
"Oh . . . okay," Harry finally stuttered. "I'll be out in a moment, madam . . . um, Ms. Myer." He could hear the elderly lady chuckling in the hall. Then, slowly, the sounds of footsteps moved away from the bathroom and down the stairs.  
  
  
Harry unlocked the door and grabbed the items Ms. Myer had left for him. Closing the door and relocking it, Harry glanced through the things in his hands. There was some clean boxers and socks, a toothbrush and paste, a comb, and deodorant. Once completely redressed, Harry felt totally refreshed. He had to admit that those extra items were just what he needed.  
  
  
Harry went straight downstairs and to the other bathroom door. He noticed the pile of various items sitting on the floor at his feet. Picking up the pile, he knocked softly on the door and called, "Gi. . . Jen? It's me, Henry. It's okay to open the door now to get the things Ms. Myer gathered for you."  
  
  
From the other side of the door, Harry could hear some water splashing and Ginny's muffled voice saying, "Okay . . . I'll get them in a second."  
  
  
Not really thinking about what he was doing, Harry continued to stand there holding Ginny's things. He glanced down at what all was in his hands. There was a toothbrush and paste, just like he'd received. And she'd received a brush instead of a comb, plus a few hair ribbons. Under all of this, Harry noticed a silky white material. He nearly dropped the pile when, upon closer inspection, he realized that he was holding girls knickers.  
  
  
The bathroom door suddenly opened and Harry found himself staring at the top of Ginny's tangled wet hair. She was looking at the floor outside the door. As her head slowly rose up, Harry couldn't keep his gaze from drifting down. At the same moment that she must have realized that Harry was standing there holding her things, he realized that his best friend's sister was standing in front of him wearing only a towel.  
  
  
"Ohh," she exclaimed softly, blushing as red as her hair. "Ha. . .Henry! What are you doing?"  
  
  
Harry could feel his own face burning as he shoved the pile at her, saying, "Here! I, um, I'll wait for you in the, um, kitchen." He'd given up trying to find a safe place to look and closed his eyes tightly. Every inch of her, from her damp locks of hair on down her dripping wet, towel clad body was having an overwhelming effect on him. Quickly, he spun on his heels and practically ran for the kitchen.  
  
  
Ms. Myer smiled at him as he hurried into the room. Harry knew that he looked completely flustered and red in the face. He just hoped that the older woman wouldn't ask him what was wrong.  
  
  
She must have sensed that, for she didn't say a word. Instead, she began to bring dishes of food over to the table. Harry found a seat and slipped into it. A few minutes of uncomfortable silence later, Ginny entered the kitchen looking scrubbed and refreshed. "Hello," she said smiling at Ms. Myer and ignoring Harry. "Can I help you with anything, Ms. Myer?"  
  
  
"Oh, thank you, Lambie," the woman said as she handed Ginny a stack of plates and silverware. "Just set the table for me, dear."  
  
  
Watching Ginny placing the plates and silverware on the table, Harry felt awkward just sitting there. He looked over at Ms. Myer and asked, "Is there anything that I can help with?"  
  
  
Ms. Myer paused in her work, looking thoughtful. "Why, yes, Henry . . . there is. Would you mind bringing in some wood from the shed out back? With the storm coming, it's sure to get chilly. A nice warm fire might be comforting tonight, don't you think?"  
  
  
Harry nodded as he jumped up from his seat. "Yes, Ms. Myer, it would. I'll get right to it," he stated as he went outside. Before he closed the door, he noticed Ginny watching him. A light blush once again covered his face as an unbiddened image of the redhead in a towel flashed in his head. Looking away from the girl, Harry fled outside.  
  
  
Reaching the shed, Harry began to gather pieces of wood. "Can I help?" a voice asked behind him just as he was lifting his first load. Startled, Harry dropped the bundle all over. A giggle sounded behind him, causing him to glance back with a small scowl. "Sorry," Ginny said from the doorway where she stood.  
  
  
"No problem," Harry muttered, kneeling down to recollect what he'd dropped.   
  
  
Ginny knelt down next to him to help. Softly, she said, "I finished with the table, so I told Ms. Myer that I'd help you with the wood." Harry just nodded, not looking at her.  
  
  
Both silently worked on, cleaning up for a few minutes. Then Ginny said, "I hope you're not mad that I said we'd help," at the same moment Harry said, "I'm sorry about the bathroom . . . didn't mean to . . . um, you know . . ." They both stopped speaking, then began to laugh lightly.  
  
  
"I'm not upset about helping," Harry stated after a moment. "I just don't understand why you agreed."  
  
  
Ginny gave him an odd look as she replied, "The trees are calling for a bad storm." To that statement, Harry gave her a look of bewilderment. She went on to explain. "The leaves were all turned up, meaning that rain was approaching. If it rains, we'll need some shelter. The Death Eaters will be searching harder tonight because they'll figure that the rain will flush us out of hiding. But if we've got some shelter before the storm, then we shouldn't have to worry."  
  
  
Harry wasn't sure that made sense, but he was glad to not have to be out in the rain later. Ginny followed him out of the shed, each holding a large pile of wood. "Um . . . and Harry?" Ginny said hesitantly. Harry stopped and finally looked at her. "It's okay about the bathroom. You weren't doing anything to be mean . . . like my brothers might have done. I'm so used to having to put up with their jokes and teasing . . . it was just an automatic reaction to think you were up to something. You know how my brothers can be . . . such stupid gits."  
  
  
Noticing that as Ginny was speaking, tears were starting to well up in her eyes, Harry said, "We'd best get this wood inside. It looks like it might start pouring any second."  
  
  
Ginny nodded and they moved towards the house again. Just as they reached the door, Ginny murmured, "I miss those stupid gits."  
  
  
Harry looked down at her with a small smile. "I do too," he whispered.  
  
  
Glancing up into Harry's eyes, Ginny looked at him intently for a second. Then, slowly, she smiled softly back at him. With a bit of a giggle, she commented, "Just don't ever let any of them know that when we get back." Harry nodded with agreement. Silently, though, he was just hoping that they would be able to get back safely.  
  
  
Supper was very quiet. Ms. Myer seemed to be amused with both Harry and Ginny's appetite. They each had second helpings on everything. The elderly woman's eyes twinkled with delight as she sat large helpings of strawberry shortcake in front of each of them and they immediately began to devour the dessert.  
  
  
As spoons were scraping the bottoms of the bowls, thunder began to rumble outside. "Looks like that storm's rolling in. I've kept you children so long, it wouldn't be proper for me to just let you go out in this gale. I've got two nice, comfortable sofas in the Drawing Room . . . you two may sleep there if you'd like."  
  
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged uncertain looks. As if sensing that the teens needed to speak to each other, Ms. Myer excused herself to fetch some tea cups from the Drawing Room china cabinet so they could have some tea. When she was gone, Ginny said to Harry, "I was figuring that we'd sleep in an abandoned building or something, but . . . this would be nicer."  
  
  
Harry nodded, but couldn't help mentioning something that was bothering him. "Do you think that we'd be safe here? I mean, what if she's a Death Eater and she's only being nice to keep up here until others can get here?"  
  
  
Ginny frowned at the thought. "I suppose that's possible, though, I would have thought they'd have been here by now if that were the case. Do you suppose that she's a witch? She seems like just a Muggle to me." Harry shrugged as he was unsure how to tell the two apart. Ginny went on to say, "It's too bad that we've none of those Sugar Coated Glamour Cubes . . . we'd be able to tell . . . Harry? . . . What are you doing?"  
  
  
As soon as Ginny had mentioned the sugar cubes, Harry had practically leapt from his chair. Frantically, he dug around the bottom of his bookbag until he triumphantly pulled out the gift box. He was just about to say something when Ms. Myer came back into the kitchen with the tray of good china tea cups.  
  
  
"I don't get to use these very often . . . don't usually have company." She sat the tray down on the table and moved over to the stove to get the tea kettle.  
  
  
Once Ms. Myer's back was turned toward them, Ginny motioned for Harry to give her the box of sugar cubes. She was sitting closer to the elderly woman, so it made sense. Still, Harry was reluctant to hand over the gift box . . . because it also had the picture that Ginny had drawn of him in it.  
  
  
Ginny made a face at him for Harry to hurry up. For a moment, Harry just glanced at Ms. Myer, to her tea cup, to Ginny, then back to the elderly woman. Ms. Myer continued to putter around the stove, but Harry knew that at any minute, she would be turning around.  
  
  
Suddenly, Ginny leaned towards Harry and snatched the box out of his hand. He was just about to scold her when Ms. Myer turned. Immediately, both teens took on _expressions of complete innocence.  
  
  
Ms. Myer poured the hot water into each cup. She sat hers down to the side and then passed Harry and Ginny each theirs. "Oh my," she exclaimed, looking around the table. "I forgot the lemons." Once again, she turned away.  
  
  
In a flash, Ginny dropped a sugar cube into the elderly lady's cup . . . and Harry snatched back the gift box. Ginny frowned bewilderingly at the boy while he quickly stuffed the box safely into the backpack. He'd just sat back up when Ms. Myer returned with two lemons. She cut them into slices and offered them to both Harry and Ginny. Then, settling back into her chair, she lifted her cup to her mouth and took a sip.  
  
  
Both Harry and Ginny tried to watch her without being obvious. The wind outside was starting to howl as the rumble of thunder got even closer. Still, the rain had not started. Several more sips of tea . . . still nothing. Ginny gave Harry a nervous glance. He just looked back at her with a mirrored _expression. When he turned back to Ms. Myer, Harry's jaw nearly dropped open.  
  
  
Instead of the kind, elderly woman sitting at the table, there was what looked in all respects to be an angel smiling at him. "Is your tea all right, Henry?" she asked. All Harry could do was nod.  
  
  
Next to him, Harry heard Ginny tell Ms. Myer, "This tea is wonderful. The whole supper was too. If it really wouldn't be an inconvenience, the we would appreciate sleeping here tonight."  
  
  
A flash of lightning broke Harry's entranced stare. He glanced outside and suddenly remembered the invisibility cloak and Firebolt. They were still out in the alley by the clothes drop off building. Getting up, Harry stated hurriedly, "You know . . . I'm not sure all the double glazings were closed tight. I'd better run down there and check." Before Ms. Myer or Ginny could protest, he rushed outside and down the street.  
  
  
The wind was really picking up as darkness crept over the town. Harry wasted no time in snatching up his broom and cloak, then quickly checked over the windows at the drop off. As he returned to Ms. Myer's house, Harry wrapped the cloak around the Firebolt. Entering into the house, he found an out of the way corner to store the two items in.  
  
  
By the time they cleaned up the kitchen, it was completely dark outside. Harry started a fire in the fireplace as Ms. Myer helped Ginny make up beds for them on the sofas. They had just tucked themselves into bed when the rain began to pour outside. Lying on the couch, Harry listened to the sounds of the storm. He felt oddly relaxed.  
  
  
Looking over at the sofa next to his, he noticed that Ginny was staring off at the fireplace with a content, dreamy _expression on her face. She looked so engrossed in watching the flames that Harry silently watched her so as not to disturb her. The silence was comfortable . . . even a bit comforting. As the light from the fire shown across her face, Ginny's eyes began to flutter close. Harry wasn't sure why, but he found himself unable to look away from the young girl as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Eventually, Harry's eyes grew heavy as well. As sleep claimed him, he thought only of how warm and safe he felt.  
  
  
  
The next morning, Harry awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking on the stove. Sounds of Ms. Myer puttering around the kitchen drifted into the drawing room, pulling Harry further out of sleep. He opened his eyes and stretched. Glancing over at the other couch, he nearly laughed.  
  
  
Ginny had managed to kick off all her covers, knock her pillow to the floor, and upheaved two of the couch's seat cushions. She was presently scrunched up in a ball on the remaining seat cushion with her head tilted in a painful looking way against the arm of the couch.  
  
  
Harry sat up and stretched again. He couldn't believe how well he'd slept. Standing up, he began to leave the room. But then, he stopped as he glanced back at Ginny. 'Her neck is going to hurt really bad if she keeps sleeping like that,' he thought.  
  
  
So, quietly, he went over to the couch and fixed the two seat cushions. Then retrieving the pillow, he stood over Ginny trying to figure out how to get it under her head without waking her. He began to bend over to slip his hand under her head in order to lift her enough to place the pillow underneath. But, just as his hand touched her silky locks, he paused. His mind flashed back to the time in the Chamber of Secrets when Ginny was so near death. She had been so pale and limp. Harry shivered slightly at the memory.  
  
  
Carefully, he finished sliding his hand under her head and lifted it. It didn't lull around as it had in the chamber. Instead, Ginny stirred slightly, muttering incoherently. Harry smiled lightly at her as he slipped the pillow under her head and gently laid her back down on it.  
  
  
Ginny snuggled into the pillow, a hint of a smile on her lips. Harry retrieved the blanket from the floor and covered the sleeping girl with it. Then, he turned to head out of the room. "Thanks, Harry," a soft murmur sounded behind him.  
  
  
Harry froze. He could have sworn that Ginny had been asleep. He peeked back, expecting to see her lying on the couch laughing at him. But she was still sleeping peacefully. With a raised eyebrow, Harry whispered back, "You're welcome, Gin," then turned and left.  
  
  
When Harry returned from getting cleaned up for the day, he found Ginny wrapped in the blanket he had covered her with. She seemed to be staring at the dying fire, lost in thought. Glancing up, she smiled when she saw him enter the room. "Good morning, Ha. . .Henry. Sleep well?"  
  
  
Harry grinned back. "Morning, Jen. I slept great. How about you?"  
  
  
Ginny rubbed the back of her neck a bit as she commented, "I slept okay, 'cept that I've got a bit of a crink in my neck." Harry couldn't help but chuckle softly as Ginny slipped out of the drawing room to go get around for the day.  
  
  
Ms. Myer called the kids in for breakfast. Both Harry and Ginny ate another large meal, to the old woman's glee. When they'd finished cleaning up the kitchen, Harry announced, "Ms. Myer, we don't know how to thank you for your hospitality."  
  
  
Grinning with embarrassment, Ms. Myer just said, "Oh, it was nothing. I really enjoyed having the company. I just hope that you'll visit again someday."  
  
  
Ginny's eyes glistened as she replied quickly, "Oh, we will. We promise."  
  
  
The elderly lady's eyes sparkled too as she gave Ginny a warm hug. "Well, you two need to get on your way again." She picked up a backpack that was sitting by the stove and handed it over to Harry. "I noticed that you only have the one pack, so I thought you might like to use this one too. It's got two blankets in it, and some food and necessities."  
  
  
Harry and Ginny thanked her once more. As Ginny gave Ms. Myer another hug, Harry carefully retrieved the invisibility cloak and Firebolt. The two kids waved good-bye as they headed out of town. "Harry," Ginny said after a couple minutes. "Aren't we going to look for the Lancer's Inn?"  
  
  
Shifting his pack, Harry replied, "Already did. I checked the phone book and there was no such inn listed." Ginny gave a silent 'Oh' of understanding.  
  
  
Walking along the road, they were passed by many vehicles. Ginny kept asking Harry what each kind was. They also passed several country houses and farms. "It's weird," Ginny said as she waved at some children playing in front of their house. "Muggles are so much like us . . . yet they aren't. When I was little my dad would tell me all sorts of stories about the Muggle world. But it wasn't anything like this. It always sounded so . . . foreign; like it would be nearly impossible for a witch or wizard to be comfortable living amongst Muggles. But I was quite comfortable with Ms. Myers . . ."  
  
  
While Ginny took a quick breath, Harry glanced sideways at her. He was trying not to grin. Not even noticing the boy's struggle, Ginny went on. "She was so sweet and kind. Not at all what I expected. In fact, the first time that I heard that you were living with Muggles, I started to cry. Of course, I was only about four at the time, but still . . ."  
  
  
Unable to stop himself, Harry laughed out suddenly. Ginny glanced over at him, questioningly. With a smile of amusement, he told her, "You know, Ron once told me that it was weird to see you so quiet around me as you normally never shut up . . . and I thought he was joking. Guess I was wrong."  
  
  
Ginny pulled a face at him as she slapped him playfully on the arm. "Oh, that's just fine. You make fun of me, too. Well then, see if I ever speak to you again."  
  
  
This just made Harry laugh more. "Sorry, Gin. I just couldn't help it. Please, continue to grace me with your words of wisdom . . . for I hang on your every word."  
  
  
Ginny gave a soft snort at that. "Oh yeah . . . I'm sure That's true," she stated with mock disgust. But Harry couldn't help noticing the soft tinge of pink that shown upon her cheeks.   
  
  
He didn't understand why, but he rather liked it when Ginny looked that way. He didn't, however, like to see her looking sad or angry. Quietly, he asked, "Seriously, what was it like growing up in a wizarding family?"  
  
  
Ginny glanced sideways at him, as if checking to see if he were genuinely interested. He must have appeared to be, for she answered, "It was wonderful, sometimes. And just horrible other times. It's nearly impossible to get anything past mum. We could be clear up in Ron's room while she was in the kitchen and she'd still know that we were fighting. Dad's always worked a lot; but when he was around, it was always fun. He would tell the best stories."  
  
  
"Really?" Harry said, curiously. "What sort of stories?"  
  
  
Smiling brightly, Ginny replied, "Mostly about the Muggle world. And about the old wizarding days. Oh, and when he and mum attended Hogwarts."  
  
  
Ginny stopped talking, causing Harry to look over at her. She was blushing again, biting her lower lip. "What is it?" Harry asked with concern.  
  
  
Glancing up shyly at him, Ginny said, "Well, some of the best stories . . . the ones that were my favorite . . . were about you."  
  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at that. He knew that his life and childhood had been the talk of the wizarding world. But, he never really wondered what was said about him. Till now. "Do you remember any of those stories?" Ginny nodded slowly. "Tell me one . . . please," Harry asked quietly.  
  
  
"Dad always talked about the usual stories; the ones about how you defeated the Dark Lord. But, my favorite story was one about you before that happened." Harry edged closer to Ginny as he listened to the tale of his own childhood.  
  
  
"Everyone knows that you were born on July 31st. At the time, you weren't famous. But, my dad said that at your birth, your mother was told that you would do great things. Your mum and dad took you to the Halloween festival in Diagon Alley when you were just three months old. My mum and dad were there too. Ron was old enough for them to leave him with my grandparents for a night. So, my parents got to go there alone. While they were walking around the festival, my dad claims that he met your parents. He hadn't asked their names, but he says that he'll always remember their faces. My mum and your mum supposedly talked about raising sons. Mum was full of advice since she had six sons of her own. They didn't talk long . . . but my dad was always so proud that he'd the opportunity to meet them."  
  
  
It seemed strange to Harry that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had never mentioned meeting his parents. He would have thought that they would have brought it up at least once. Ginny interrupted Harry's thoughts by saying, "My mum, however, says that it wasn't them. But, I don't know. I just always liked the way my dad described you as a baby. A dark mop of hair . . . little fingers and toes . . . bright green eyes . . . and an ear piercing cry when you wanted something." Ginny giggle as she added, "I guess you haven't really changed much."  
  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, but laughed. "It would be sort of cool if that really had happened. Though, it's hard to imagine me being only three months old."  
  
  
Ginny nodded. "Well, I was just a twinkle in my mum's eye at the time. Although, there was this woman at the festival that told my mum that the next child she'd have would be a girl."  
  
  
Laughing, Harry commented, "Well, it obviously wasn't Trelawney then."  
  
  
Ginny chuckled as she agreed with him. "This lady did say, however, that I would walk a path like no other. Mum's always fretted over that." Ginny grew silent again, lost in thoughts about her family.  
  
  
Harry, too, was mulling over some of what she had said. He wished that he could learn more about his first year of life. Looking up, he noticed that they were heading into a city. "We should look for the inn," he said to Ginny as he led the way towards the busy downtown area. As they walked along, Harry noticed how Ginny stared wide-eyed at all the Muggle contraptions around her.  
  
  
They turned the corner onto another busy street. A group of school boys were walking straight towards them. They looked to be around the same age as Harry. One of the boys whistled at Ginny. "Hello there, darling!" the tall brown hair youth said, grinning widely at Ginny.  
  
  
"Um, hello," Ginny stated back, sounding uncomfortable with the attention she was attracting. Before Harry realized what he was doing, he grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her away from the goggling school boys. The one who had whistled laughed loudly as he made a rather vulgar comment. Scowling, Harry tightened his grip on Ginny's hand and steered her towards the zebra crossing.  
  
  
After crossing a few streets and walking several blocks, they paused at a call box. Harry flipped through the phone listings, trying to find the Lancer's Inn. Once again, he found nothing.  
  
  
Sighing, Harry figured that they might as well take a break for lunch. A small park was in view, so Harry said, "Let's get some lunch and rest a bit. We can go over to that park." Ginny nodded with agreement and stepped out into the street to cross.  
  
  
BEEP!!!  
  
  
tbc  
  
  
  
***Author's note: Thanks for reading my story! I especially want to thank any of you that have posted a review. I would like to find out roughly how many people are reading this story. So, if you've got this far in the story, could you leave a small review stating this. I really appreciate your time in doing this for me. Detailed reviews aren't necessary, but would be of help to me as well - and any and all positive comments would probably make my day. Thanks Again :-) 


	6. Chapter 5b

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the series. I'm just borrowing for fun.  
  
  
A/N: I just want to thank all of you that have read the story and let me know via posting a reply or email. Just to reassure you, this is definitely a H/G story. I know my original summary was a bit confusing. Hopefully the revised one is a bit better. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy the extention on chapter 5.  
  
  
Chapter 5b  
  
  
Harry yanked Ginny back onto the pavement, out of the path of an oncoming car. "Ginny! You can't just walk out into the middle of the street!" he scolded.  
  
  
Trembling, Ginny could only reply with a soft, "Sorry."  
  
  
Harry immediately calmed himself down. Releasing his grip on her wrist, he said, "We've got to be really careful, Gin. Come on . . . we can cross down there." They walked over to the nearest zebra crossing. As they stepped out into the street to cross, Ginny slipped her hand hesitantly into Harry's already outstretched one. Once safely on the other side, they quickly let go.  
  
  
They found a bench in the shade and sat down to eat. Neither seemed interested in talking. Ginny opened the backpack that Ms. Myer had given them and pulled out some sandwiches. Handing one to Harry, she murmured something softly. Then, looking off towards the ground, she began to nibble silently on her sandwich.  
  
  
Harry watched her out of the corner of his eye. He noticed how she sat stiffly next to him, avoiding him completely. Suddenly, he began to feel guilty about yelling at her when she had walked into the road. She wasn't used to being in cities like this one. Clearing his throat, he said, "Sandwich is good. Is yours okay?" Ginny just nodded, still not looking at him.  
  
  
It hit Harry that had a conversation like this happened a few days before, he probably wouldn't have noticed Ginny's behavior. In fact, chances were that such a conversation of any kind would have never happened. But after what they'd endured the past days, Harry realized that things had changed. Seeing Ginny sitting there, nervous and quiet, bothered him. Not knowing how else to resolve the situation, Harry blurted out, "I'm sorry, Gin . . . for yelling like that back there. It just really scared me when you walked out in front of that car. I hope that you aren't angry with me."  
  
  
Ginny gave him a sideways glance, then smiled shyly as she shook her head. "I'm not angry with you, Harry. Just with me. I seem to do the stupidest things . . . usually in front of you." She barely whispered that last part, but Harry still heard her.  
  
  
"We all do stupid things," he told her as he reached into the pack for a bottle of water.  
  
  
"It doesn't seem like you ever do," Ginny muttered. "You always seem to know what to do and how to do it."  
  
  
Harry let out a sigh. "I think that you're thinking of the 'Legendary Harry Potter', not me. I do plenty of stupid things. It just somehow usually turns out okay. Works itself out, so I actually look as if I knew what I was doing."  
  
  
Ginny tilted her head as she asked, "What do you mean?"  
  
  
Taking a sip of water, Harry thought for a moment before answering. "Well . . . like the time last year during the Tri-Wizard Championship. It was the second task and I had to go underwater to save Ron. If it weren't for Dobby, I might not have been able to do it. I was so completely clueless . . ."  
  
  
He paused, shaking his head at the memory. "Anyway, I actually took that mermish ditty seriously and thought that after an hour, any of the hostages still under water would drown. So, when I got there and saw Hermione, Cho, and Fleur's little sister . . . well, I couldn't just take Ron and leave. So, I waited. Cedric . . ." Harry paused, looking down sadly at his hands. "Cedric came and got Cho. Then Krum got Hermione. But Fleur never showed up. Time was almost up, so . . . so I grabbed Ron and then managed to get Fleur's sister away from the merpeople. That's why I ended up with such a lousy time."  
  
  
"But the task wasn't really about timing, Harry," Ginny said, finally turning to look at him completely. "It was about using your resources and facing harsh obstacles to obtain what you would miss the most." She took a quick drink of the water that he'd handed to her, then looked off into space for a moment.  
  
  
As Harry reached out to take the water back from her, she said, "I remember sitting in the stands, waiting for you to come up. Fleur came out of the water and just looked horrible. And she was going bonkers trying to get back into the lake, but they wouldn't let her go. I felt so bad for her. Cedric and Krum didn't look much better when they came out. I think Hermione was about to throw Victor back into the lake at one point. He kept trying to pull her away from the shore, but she refused . . . she had to make sure that Ron and you were okay."  
  
  
Ginny gazed around the park at the various people passing by. "When you came out of the water . . . and you'd brought up both Ron and Gabby . . . I just knew that you would win the championship. Not because you're the 'Famous Harry Potter' or because you faced a dragon, survived underwater, or anything of that sort. But because you are just a natural champion. You do what needs to be done, no matter what the risk is to you. And then, when you've finished, you stay the same . . . it doesn't go to your head."  
  
  
Harry blushed deeply at Ginny's words. He didn't see himself being as she said. His mind ran over at least a dozen egotistical thoughts and daydreams that had filled his head too often. Most of them had to do with Cho Chang.  
  
  
Cho Chang. Harry thought about the Ravenclaw Seeker. He could clearly see her in his mind, flying . . . searching for the Golden Snitch. Her dark hair flowing in the wind. Her pretty face glancing all around. Her dark eyes twinkling with anticipation . . . no . . . that wasn't right. It wasn't anticipation or excitement. It was tears. Her dark eyes had large tears slipping down her pretty face. That was how she'd looked the last time Harry'd seen her. He wondered if she still was crying over Cedric's death. Would she ever not be? Would she ever forgive him for having led Cedric to his death?  
  
  
"Harry?" a small voice said beside him. "Are you okay? Did I say something to upset you?" Harry glanced over at Ginny and gave her a weak smile. "No. It's not that. I just was thinking about . . . some things."  
  
  
Ginny continued to look closely at him for a few seconds, then sighed heavily. "Well, we should probably keep searching."  
  
  
Nodding, Harry slipped the water bottle back into the pack and stood up. They headed back out into the city.  
  
  
After another hour's search, they decided to move on out to the next town. They were just leaving the city limits when a lorry pulled up next to them. A man in his late forties leaned out and asked if they'd like a ride. Harry and Ginny exchanged questioning looks, then both shrugged. "That would be great," Harry said, helping Ginny climb into the back. Within seconds, they were speeding towards the next town.  
  
  
As it was too noisy to talk, the two sat watching the landscape whisk by and sinking deeper into their own thoughts. Harry's thoughts were presently on the safety of his friends . . . primarily Ron and Hermione. He could only hope that they made it to a safety zone okay. Harry knew that both of his friends knew how to protect themselves. But, he also knew that Ron might be looking for them instead of staying at the safety zone. Harry was fairly certain that Hermione would do everything within her power to stop his best friend, however.  
  
  
Something fell against Harry's shoulder, causing him to look over. It had been Ginny. She was rubbing her eyes sleepily as she tried to sit herself back up. Harry figured that she must have started to dose off and leaned against him by accident. Not that he would have minded if she had continued to. But having fallen against him must have woken her up. As she looked up at him apologetically, he just smiled warmly back at her.  
  
  
Pulling over the backpack from Ms. Myer, Harry dug through it and pulled out a blanket. Then, he motioned for Ginny to lay down and rest. He placed the other backpack down as a pillow for her and once Ginny was situated, he covered her up. It wasn't long after, he looked down at her to find that she was fast asleep. He grinned at the sight. She looked so sweet and peaceful.  
  
  
Rummaging through the pack again, Harry began to glance through all that Ms. Myer had packed for them. There was food and water bottles. Blankets. A comb, brush, and other personal necessities. A sweater for Ginny. And some money . . . Muggle money. Counting it up, Harry found there was around forty pounds. He couldn't believe that Ms. Myer had given them so much. For a second, he considered waking up Ginny to tell her. But as he gazed down at her, he couldn't do it. She just looked so content.  
  
  
Some time later, the lorry drove into another small town. The driver pulled off into a Petrol Station and got out. He came back and glanced down at the sleeping girl. "Aww . . . I hate to wake the lass, but I'm afraid that this is as far as I am heading today."  
  
  
Harry smiled with appreciation as he nodded. "That's fine. This was where we were heading. Do we owe you anything for the ride?"  
  
  
The man was still looking down at Ginny with a small smile on his face. "No, me lad. That won't be necessary." He motioned towards the young girl as he stated, "She reminds me of me own niece. Haven't seen me sister and the young ones in quite awhile. I ought to ring them up." He gave a bit of a wave as he turned to go into the station.  
  
  
Harry gently shook Ginny's shoulder. Immediately, Ginny sat straight up. Her brown eyes were filled with terror. "It's okay, Gin," Harry said quickly. "It's just me."   
  
She blinked a couple of times, then looked over at him. "I was dreaming," she said in a shaky tone. "It seemed so real though."  
  
  
Harry looked at her with curiosity as he asked, "What was it about?"  
  
  
Ginny glanced around, then stood up. As she shook her skirt free of some dust and dirt, she muttered, "I . . . it wasn't anything . . . nothing important." It seemed as if she were almost frightened to talk about it. Harry helped her gather up their things. He couldn't keep himself from watching her with concern.  
  
  
After tossing the backpack to the ground, Harry climbed down out of the lorry. Ginny sat on the back edge and swung her feet over the side. "Here," Harry offered, reaching up to assist her. "Just jump down. I'll catch you." And so he did. He also caught sight of Ginny's cheeks blushing a brilliant red.  
  
  
They set off into the new city to look for the Lancer's Inn. After they had walked a bit in silence, they stumbled across a Public Library. "They might have listings of not only this town, but others in the area. It would make things easier if we knew what town we were looking for," Harry explained.  
  
  
They went inside and found the section that held the telephone directories. As they looked for some information, Ginny sighed sadly. When Harry looked at her, she said, "I miss Hermione. This place makes me think of her. She just loves books."  
  
  
Harry nodded silently as he thought about his one best friend. He couldn't help thinking of Ron at the same time. "Hermione loves the library," Harry said quietly, then smiled. "And Ron hates 'em."  
  
  
Ginny giggled softly as she commented, "Guess opposites do attract."  
  
  
It was maybe a half an hour later that they finally found some business listings to go through. Harry, wanting to keep out of sight, led them up to one of the top floor study areas. Placing the books on a small table, he said, "Right, then . . . you go through these here and I'll go through the rest."  
  
  
Having got no response, he looked up to see that Ginny was standing by a small window, gazing outside it. "Oh Harry," she whispered in a breathless tone. "You should see this. Look!"  
  
  
Harry moved over to the window and peeked out. His breath caught at the sight that lay before him. "Is that . . . that the coast?"  
  
  
Ginny nodded with excitement. "It's the English Channel. It's just got to be. Firenze said that the town was on the coast. This has to be it."  
  
  
Nodding slowly, Harry continued to stare down at the waves below. After a moment, he pulled himself together and said, "Let's find that inn. We could be back with everyone by nightfall."  
  
  
The two eagerly poured over the books on the table. As each one was searched and set aside, both teens began to feel their spirits sink. Harry finished going through his stack and glanced up at Ginny. She was going through the last book in her pile. "No luck?" he asked, already knowing the answer. She didn't even look up, but shook her head miserably.  
  
  
Sighing heavily, Harry dropped his head onto the books in front of him with a dull thud. He closed his eyes and tried to figure out what to do next. He had absolutely no idea where to go . . . except, maybe, to London. They could head to Diagon Alley. It would take them awhile to get there, but at least they would know where they were heading.  
  
  
"Harry!" Ginny suddenly exclaimed, "I've found it!"  
  
  
Immediately, Harry sat up and pulled the listings she was looking at over to him. Sure enough, it was there in very small print. 'Lancer's Inn and Pub', and a street address as well. Harry snatched up a pencil and paper from the table and jotted down the information. Then, studying the map of the area which was included with the listings, he figured out where the town was located.  
  
  
"Well," he stated after a moment, "I've got some good news and some bad news."  
  
  
Ginny raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Which is?"  
  
  
Standing up, Harry said, "The inn appears to be in the next town North of here. It's a bit of a walk; and as it's already getting dark, I think we should hold off trying to get there until tomorrow."  
  
  
Ginny's face fell at the news. "What if we're really careful? We could use the invisibility cloak . . ."  
  
  
Harry just shook his head. "It's not a good idea, Gin. Even if we did reach the town, we don't know exactly where the inn is located. It's best if we look for it by daylight." As Ginny nodded remorsefully, Harry quickly added, "I didn't mention it before, but Ms. Myer gave us some money. Muggle money. We can't really use it to get a place to stay, but . . . how'd you like to go out to eat?"  
  
  
At that, Ginny's eyes opened wide and an excited smile quickly appeared on her pretty face. That was just the effect Harry was hoping for. Seeing his friend's face light up, Harry found himself mirroring her _expression. "I'll take that as a yes," he said, picking up the books on the table. Ginny just nodded.  
  
  
They put the books on a cart and left the library. As soon as they were back outside, Ginny exclaimed, "Could we have pete-za?"  
  
  
Harry gave her an odd look before realizing what she meant. "Pizza?" he asked with amazement. Again, Ginny's head bobbed up and down. "If we can find a place that serves it, then sure . . . that'd be good."  
  
  
They only had to walk a few blocks to find a small pizza & pub nestled on an overlook of the English Channel. They stared out at the endless stretch of water as they munched on their extra cheesy pepperoni pizza. "Ohh . . ." Ginny moaned with delight as she chewed another bite of pizza. "This is sooo delicious! My dad always wanted to try pete-za . . ."  
  
  
Harry interrupted her with, "Pizza. With 'z's. There's no 't' in it."  
  
  
Tilting her head to one side, she considered what he had just told her, then tried the word out herself. "Pizza," she stated with an impish grin. "Well, I really like Pizza! Maybe when things are settled down, we can get some for all the family to try."  
  
  
Harry nodded, though a bit slowly. He wondered if they ever would get such an opportunity. Voices drifted over from another table, catching his attention.  
  
  
"I don't know, Niles. Things are just getting stranger and scarier everyday. You've heard about these weird deaths, haven't you? People just found dead with absolutely no cause . . . no explanation at all. Except that they look as if they'd been frightened to death."  
  
  
Another voice chimed in at that point. It was one of the waitresses. "I heard that another one was just found a couple hours ago. Some poor old lady just a few towns over. She was found right in her kitchen . . . right in her own home. It's just frightening, I tell you."  
  
  
The people at the next table over continued to talk about the many deaths, but Harry had tuned them out. 'It couldn't be,' he thought silently. Looking up at Ginny, he could tell that she was thinking the same thing. Tears began to well up in her deep brown eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.  
  
  
Harry quietly said in a firm voice, "It wasn't her, Gin . . . Okay . . . it couldn't be." Ginny nodded, but then had to wipe away a lone tear that had managed to escape.  
  
  
tbc 


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the series. I'm just borrowing for fun.  
  
Chapter Six  
  
After overhearing the conversation in the pub, neither Harry or Ginny felt like talking. Ginny had become extremely quiet and distracted, to the point that Harry wondered if she was even aware of her surroundings. Worried that she might walk out into the middle of the street again, Harry held her hand onto the crook of his arm. She gave no resistance as he led her out of town and down towards the shore.   
  
Harry found a little nook where they could sleep for the night. It worried him that Ginny refused to talk or even look at him as he laid down one of the blankets on the ground. Guiding her gently, he helped her to lie down on one side of the blanket. Ginny looked up at him finally, with sorrowful brown eyes. "I want to go home, Harry," she said in barely a whisper.  
  
"I know," Harry murmured back, his heart aching at the sadness those brown eyes held. "I do too. We'll be home soon, Gin." Carefully, he covered her with the second blanket. "Try to get some sleep. Okay?" She nodded, then curled up in the blanket with her eyes closed.   
  
Harry watched over her for a few minutes until her breathing seemed to even out. Feeling completely drained, he laid down next to her on the blanket that covered the ground. Then, taking the invisibility cloak, he covered up both of them. Within seconds, he too drifted off to sleep.  
  
The next morning, Harry awoke to the sounds of birds singing and waves crashing. His whole body felt so relaxed and warm that he had no desire to open his eyes. Even the smells in the air were so calming. Sea water . . . Morning dew . . . Flowers . . .   
  
Harry's mind paused on that thought. 'There were no flowers down by the shore.' Suddenly he became aware that the warmth was generating from a specific source that was lying very close to him . . . and somewhat on him. Turning his head towards the warmth, a tickling sensation of hair fluttered across his chin. Immediately, Harry's eyes opened.  
  
He seemed to notice several things at once. There was the fact that he was now not only covered by the invisibility cloak, but also one of the blankets. And, he was fairly certain that the other blanket was still on the ground underneath him. Also, snuggled up to him, with her head on his shoulder, was Ginny. She appeared to still be asleep. But the thing that really surprised him was that his arm had somehow managed to wrap around the sleeping girl. He was actually holding her against himself.  
  
Ginny mumbled something and cuddled up more to him.  
  
Harry forgot how to breath.  
  
Or at least he did until he thought of how Ron or any of the Weasleys would react if they found out about this. 'I'd just explain that it was all very innocent. We were just keeping warm.' Floating right on top of that thought was Harry's undeniable realization of how nice that warmth felt. He shook his head, trying to knock such thoughts out of his head.  
  
The motion jostled Ginny, causing her to awaken. Harry just lay there stiffly, wondering how she was going to react. He heard her gasp lightly as she too stiffened in his arms. Then slowly, she began to relax. Hesitantly, Ginny lifted her face up to look at him. Harry knew he was blushing, but tried to be nonchalant about it anyways.  
  
"Um, Morning, Gin. It got rather cold last night, huh?" In his head, Harry thought, 'That sounded just brilliant. She'll no doubt think I'm a complete prat.'  
  
But Ginny just smiled softly as she said, "Yeah . . . I guess so." The warmth that Harry had been feeling earlier was beginning to feel much warmer. Both looked away from each other and sat up.   
  
As he gathered the invisibility cloak up and shoved it into his pack, Harry could feel Ginny's eyes on him. He snuck a peak over at her to find that she was indeed watching him. "I think we should eat while we walk," he said, trying to find something to talk about.   
  
Ginny nodded, then began to fold up one of the blankets. "Harry?" He looked up at her at the sound of his name. Slowly, the girl asked, "Do you think it was her? The lady who . . . you know . . ."  
  
Harry shrugged lightly. "I really don't know, Gin. I don't want it to be. But if Voldemort or his people are following us, they might have found her."  
  
"So it Is our fault," she muttered miserably.  
  
Harry shook his head as he reached out to take the folded blanket from her. "No, it's not. But I know that it feels like it anyway." They worked together to fold up the last blanket. As they brought the sides together, Harry's hand brushed against Ginny's. A tingling sensation fluttered through him, making him pause. Ginny gave him a questioning look. He smiled a bit shyly at her and continued folding up the blanket.  
  
As they walked northwards, they munched on some of the food from their packs and talked quietly about anything that kept their minds off of more depressing issues. At times, they simply walked in a comfortable silence. It was around noon when they finally decided to take a break and get some lunch. Both of their moods seemed to have lifted considerably.  
  
Setting down a blanket, both Harry and Ginny plopped down on to it. Ginny actually fell back with a dramatic groan. "I will Never complain about Floo travel again. I'd much rather be covered in soot and ashes for a week than have to take one more step." Harry chuckled, although he did agree with her.  
  
When they had eaten their fill, neither made a move to get up. Harry decided that he was just too sore and full of food to get up at the moment. Glancing over at Ginny, he smiled. She was all curled up in a ball with her eyes closed. "Oh no you don't," he said teasingly. "Don't you dare go and fall asleep. I have no intentions of carrying you."  
  
Ginny snorted at that. "And you call yourself a hero."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow as he retorted, "Actually, it's everyone else who calls me a hero. Remember? I just think of myself as a humble, misunderstood youth."  
  
One of Ginny's eyes peeked open at him, then she burst into laughter. The sound had an amazing effect on Harry. It was as if a bolt of energy shot right through him. Jumping up from the ground, Harry extended a hand to help Ginny get to her feet. Her eyes were still twinkling with mirth, making Harry feel giddy. The teens gathered up their things and were just about to leave when a small white object fell to the ground in-between them.  
  
Ginny scooted over quickly to Harry's side. Her brown eyes were wide with fear. "What is it?" she whispered nervously to Harry.  
  
Shrugging, Harry moved to get a bit closer to the object. Then, he began to laugh silently. Ginny, who was leaning against his one shoulder from behind him asked fretfully, "Harry? What's wrong? Why are you shaking like that?"  
  
Harry opened his mouth to answer, but just a loud laugh came out instead. "It's a golf ball." Ginny looked confused. "A golf ball from a Muggle sport called golf. It's harmless."  
  
Ginny's whole body relaxed against Harry with relief. "I thought it might be some Death Eater weapon or something." Harry was still chuckling, but he shook his head. Ginny, however, suddenly looked concerned again. "Um, Harry? If it's a golf ball, then wouldn't that mean that there's . . ."  
  
"Golfer!" Harry exclaimed, finishing for her. He grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her and their packs over to a clump of bushes. He'd just taken out the invisibility cloak and thrown it over them when two men stepped into view.  
  
"Are you sure you hit it over this way, mate?" one asked in a squeaky voice. Harry peered at them through the invisibility cloak. He could see the owner of the squeaky voice was a very tall, thin man.  
  
Another man came into view just then. This one was large and burly. Growling, he said to the tall, thin man, "Of course it went this way . . . it was the direction you hit it. That's the fourth ball today you've lost if we don't find it."  
  
The tall, thin man squinted with a hand shading his eyes as he searched the area. "You know, I thought I heard laughter coming from this way. Perhaps a pixie's taken off with it."  
  
The burly man glared at the tall man, then whapped him on the arm with a pad of paper in his hand. "A pixie? A pixie, Will? We're in the United Kingdom, you ninny . . . not the kingdom of fairy tales. Come on. It's not here . . ."  
  
Their voices faded as they walked away from the roadside. As sure as he knew the coast was clear, Harry pulled off the cloak. Ginny, who'd been right next to him the whole time, was looking at him quizzically. "They were just Muggles, right?" she asked.  
  
Harry nodded even though he wasn't completely sure. "They didn't seem to think that Pixies were real. I know that Gildroy Lockhart wishes that they weren't. Or, at least, he would if he could remember his classes at Hogwarts." Harry looked sideways at Ginny, a little concerned that his bringing up that particular year of school would upset her.  
  
But, Ginny chuckled lightly. "He was sooo strange. I could barely sit through his lectures . . . if you could even call them that."  
  
Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they were more about how wonderful he was then about the Dark Arts," he stated, then grinned at her mischievously. "I take it that you weren't one of the forty some people who'd sent him a Valentine."  
  
"Ha! Not ruddy likely," Ginny replied with her nose tilted up a bit. "I know Hermione was one, but I didn't send him one." Harry was a little startled at how defensive she was being about it. The he remembered his own valentine he'd received. His face began to redden slightly. Ginny, looking straight ahead, muttered, "I didn't send Anyone a valentine that year."  
  
Harry blinked a couple of times, then blurted out before he realized what he was doing, "But what about. . . ?"  
  
Shrugging, Ginny said, "The fresh pickled frog ditty? I don't know. But it wasn't me. Probably was the twins . . . or Malfoy . . . or . . ." She paused, grinning wickedly before going on, "Maybe it was Myrtle."  
  
Shaking his head dramatically, Harry pleaded, "Oh Please . . . don't even suggest such a thought. I think I'd rather it be from Malfoy . . . or even Snape." Ginny laughed at that.  
  
For the rest of the afternoon as they walked along the road, the two talked easily about school, their school mates, and even Quidditch. Before long, they reached an intersection with a sign pointing west to the town they were looking for. Both were getting excited about finding the inn and returning to the others . . . but they also were very nervous.  
  
The walk into town didn't take long. Finding the inn, however, did. Finally after a good half an hour searching, Harry and Ginny stood in front of a building with a sign reading 'Lancer's Inn and Pub'.  
  
"Well," said Harry, taking a deep breath, "I suppose we should just go in." Ginny nodded, then inched closer to Harry. Tentatively, they walked up to the front entrance. The Firebolt was already wrapped in the invisibility cloak, so Harry quickly shoved the two behind some bushes by the front door. Then, the two opened the door and entered into the pub.  
  
The first thing that Harry noticed was that it looked a lot like the Leaky Cauldron back in London. In fact, Harry wouldn't have been surprised to see Tom come walking up to them any second. But, he didn't. Instead, a woman in a long, flowing dark gray dress appeared beside them. "Hello! You here for a bite to eat," she asked in an odd accent. Harry, not exactly sure who to ask about Reese, nodded his head.  
  
The lady took them over to a table near the front entrance. "You do have money, don't ya? We aren't much into handing out freebies." Harry dug around in the pack he was carrying and pulled out a few pound notes. The woman looked at the money, then nodded as she handed them one of the menus. After they ordered, the woman finally left.  
  
Immediately, Ginny asked, "How are we going to find Reese?"  
  
Harry wasn't really sure. He glanced around the room at the various customers and staff. "We should probably ask whoever is in charge of the pub."  
  
The woman in the dark dress came back with their order after a few minutes. Before she could leave, Harry said, "Excuse me, Madam. Could you tell me who the owner is of this place."  
  
The lady raised an eyebrow as she repeated, "The owner of this place? Well, that would be Matteau Jensun. But he's not here right now. Is there something I could help you with?"  
  
Ginny and Harry exchanged uneasy glances. Not knowing what else to do, Harry said, "Maybe. We're looking for a person named Reese. Have you ever heard of him?"  
  
"A person named Reese?" the lady repeated as she gave an odd look across the room towards the bar. "What does this person look like?"  
  
The question surprised Harry. Stuttering, he answered, "I . . . I don't know . . . n-never met him."  
  
Without pause, the lady asked, "Then why are you looking for him?"  
  
The conversation was not making Harry very comfortable. For all they knew, they could be talking to a Death Eater. He tried to think of a way out of this. The woman began to talk again.  
  
"What are your names, kid?"  
  
Now, Harry definitely felt trapped. There was no way he could tell her that he was Harry Potter without drawing attention. But his mind seemed to have shut down. "I'm Jenny . . . and this is Henry," he heard Ginny say politely.  
  
Nodding, the lady replied, "Nice to meet you, Jenny . . . Henry. You can call me Tilly. I'm Matteau's sister. Let me see if I can't find out something about this Reese while you two eat."  
  
She walked over to the bar to talk to a man standing there. As the two adults kept glancing over at them as they talked, both Harry and Ginny began to squirm a bit. "I don't like this, Harry," Ginny whispered to him as she tried to eat some soup. "They're looking at us strangely and she asked too many questions."  
  
Harry nodded. He wasn't sure what they should do. If they stayed and they were amongst the enemy, then they'd be in grave danger. But, if they left and these people were actually allies, then they might lose their opportunity to get back to the others. Harry knew that if it had been just him, or him and Ron, he'd definitely take the risk. But, he didn't want to put Ginny in any kind of danger.  
  
Putting some money down on the table, Harry told Ginny in a quiet tone, "Okay. When I say so, get up and leave quickly, but quietly."  
  
Ginny immediately looked panic stricken. "You Are going to leave too . . . right?"  
  
Harry nodded, though a bit slowly. If needed, he was prepared to stay back and fight so Ginny would have the time to escape. "Just remember to grab the cloak and Firebolt," he said.   
  
Watching Tilly carefully, Harry waited until both her and the bartender's backs were turned, then hissed, "Now!"  
  
Ginny grabbed up one of the packs and nimbly slid out the front door. Harry, carrying the other pack, followed. Once outside, Ginny snatched up the broom and cloak. Then they darted down an ally. Harry took the cloak from Ginny and threw it over them. Just in time, too.  
  
Tilly came running into view. Seconds later, the bartender came up beside her. "Where'd they go?" he asked.  
  
Huffing a bit, Tilly growled, "If I knew that, then I wouldn't be looking for them."  
  
The man, not seeming overly bright, said, "You sure they said Reese?"  
  
Tilly sighed. "Yes, Marcus . . . they said Reese. What I want to know is how they know about Reese. They looked like everyday Muggles. Muggle money . . . Muggle clothes . . . If they're what I think they are, then they're doing a dang good job of blending in. They're also in a lot of danger. Come on, Marcus. Nothing we can do about them now. We'll just make a report."  
  
The woman's voice began to fade as the two adults walked away. Next to him, Ginny whispered, "What are we going to do, Harry? I couldn't tell whether they were on our side or not."  
  
Harry said, "Well, they're not Muggles, since they used the term."  
  
"Tilly had her wand out," Ginny commented. "I hate this. Not knowing who to trust."  
  
Harry reached over with his free hand and gently squeezed Ginny's small hand. "I know . . . I do too."  
  
They spent the next hour watching the front entrance of the inn. Every time a man would go into the pub, Harry'd wonder if he was the Reese they were looking for. The street lights began to flick on as the sky grew dark. Harry was worried about them being out at night. They were in danger outside just as in the inn . . . if not more so. Making a decision, Harry whispered, "We need to find a place to hide out for the night." Ginny nodded, following Harry closely as they left the alley.  
  
Figuring that they would be safer somewhere less crowded, they set off to leave the town. About a ten minute walk out of town, they found a small wooded area. Carefully, they entered. After locating a clearing large enough to set up camp, Harry went in search of some twigs to make a small fire.  
  
He hadn't got far when a piercing scream shattered the wood's silence. "Ginny!" Harry uttered as he dropped the few sticks and rushed back to the clearing. Stepping out from the trees, Harry found Ginny struggling to get free from the grip of a dark cloaked person. Harry, despite the situation, was quite impressed with the fight the petite girl was giving.  
  
"Ouch," a voice from beneath the cloak's hood muttered as Ginny bit the hand that was trying to cover her mouth.   
  
Leaping forward, Harry shouted, "Unhand her!" Not even thinking about what he was doing, he threw himself into the struggle. With all his might, Harry tried to get in-between the figure and Ginny.  
  
The person under the hood was muttering incoherently, then yelled, "Will You Two Just Settle Down!"  
  
Harry froze. He knew that voice . . . but from where? When Harry had stopped struggling, so had Ginny. The figure gave a relieved sigh. "Thank-you!" Reaching up with his hand, the person pulled back his hood.  
  
"Professor Lupin!" both teens exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah," Lupin said, finally letting go of Ginny's wrist. "I tried to tell Miss Weasley, but she didn't give me much of a chance. I honestly didn't mean to startle you like that."  
  
"What are you doing out here?" Harry asked, still surprised at seeing the man.  
  
"I'm here looking for you two. We've had searches going on all over since you disappeared. Where have you been this whole time?"  
  
Ginny looked at Harry, and he looked back at her . . . then together, they said, "It's a long story."  
  
Lupin gave them a look, but just nodded. "Well, at least you can tell me why you're out here and not reporting to the safety zone."  
  
"We did," Ginny said quickly. "We went into the Lancer's Inn and asked to see Reese."  
  
For a moment, Lupin just looked at the two. Then, slowly, he started to shake his head. "Let me guess," he stated, "They wanted to know what this Reese looked like . . . why you wanted him . . . they seemed guarded and suspicious." Both teens nodded. Lupin wen on, "Reese isn't a person. That's why you go that response. They were just making sure that you weren't trying to infiltrate the operation."  
  
"Operation? What do you mean?" Harry asked, very confused. "And who is Reese . . . or what is Reese?"  
  
Lupin took a breath, then said, " Rapid Emergency Evacuation Sorcerer's Escort." Neither Harry nor Ginny seemed to understand what he'd just said, so he repeated it slower. "R for rapid, E for emergency, another E for evacuation, S for Sorcerer's, and one more E for escort. It's the code given by wizards or witches who are in need of entering one of the safety zones."  
  
Harry still looked confused. "So why didn't the lady at the inn help us?"  
  
Lupin shrugged, then said grumpily, "I don't know . . . but we're going to find out. Come on, kids. It isn't safe out here." They quickly gathered their things then followed Lupin back into town.  
  
As they entered the little pub once more, Harry noticed Tilly jump up at the sight of them. It wasn't helping that Lupin looked highly irritated. Tilly's hand was in her pocket and Harry was quite sure that she was holding a wand. Not even looking at Harry or Ginny, she asked them, "So . . . you found your friend? Mr. Reese, was it?"  
  
Lupin moved up into the woman's face as he said in a low angry tone, "We're not here to play these games. We need Reese . . . Now!"  
  
Tilly looked at Lupin with uncertainty. Then, with a flicker of anger in her brown eyes, she said, "Follow me, please." She turned and headed through a door at the side of the bar.   
  
Harry and Ginny waited for Lupin to take the lead, then they followed. Tilly lead them down a dark passageway, down a flight of stairs, and through several more corridors. Finally, she stopped in front of a door. Opening it, she motioned for the three to enter. As soon as they were all inside the room, the door slammed shut. They turned to find Tilly pointing her wand at them.  
  
Both Lupin and Harry had their own wands out instantly. But as soon as they did, Till yelled out, "Expelliarmus!" Their wands flew out of their hands and into hers. She then held out her hand to Ginny as she said, "And yours, dear."  
  
Ginny gave Harry a questioning look. He nodded, trying to appear more confident than he felt. So, Ginny took out her wand and handed over. Tilly pocketed the three wands, then motioned for them to all sit at a small table in the room. As they did, she remained standing by the door. In a soft, but demanding tone, she asked, "Why have you requested Reese?"  
  
Lupin looked at her calmly, though his eyes were still sparkling with anger. "These two children need to go to Diagon Alley. That's where they're to meet the young lady's mother." Ginny gave Lupin an unreadable look at his words.  
  
"I've not heard of any Henry or Jenny to be on the look out for," Tilly replied.  
  
"Henry? Jenny?" Lupin repeated, looking over at the two teens. Glancing back at Tilly, he said, "Blimey, woman . . . don't you know who this boy is?"  
  
"Henry," Tilly stated flatly. "At least, that's what they told me."  
  
Harry and Ginny both looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Madam. Our names aren't Henry and Jenny. This here is Ginny Weasley and I'm . . . Harry Potter." He waited for Tilly to give the classical response to his name, but she didn't. She looked as unimpressed with him being Harry as she had been with him being Henry.  
  
Tilly turned her gaze towards Lupin and said, "And you are?"  
  
"Remus Lupin." Harry noticed that Lupin was still glaring slightly at the woman. She, in turn, was staring right back. After a long minute, Tilly's shoulders relaxed. She pulled the wands out of her pocket and passed them back to their owners.  
  
As she gave Lupin his, she asked, "I'm Tilly Jensun."  
  
Lupin's __expression softened as he asked, "Matteau's little sister?"  
  
Tilly made a face at him as she corrected him. "Yes, I'm Matteau's sister. Though, I'm hardly little."  
  
Lupin laughed. "No . . . I suppose you're not. But you'll always be younger than him . . . which he, no doubt, reminds you often of." Tilly snorted lightly in agreement. "Well, I guess it's rather understandable that you didn't recognize Harry, here."  
  
"Why would I recognize him? I've never even seen the boy before." Tilly raise an eyebrow at Harry as she asked, "Do most people know who you are at first sight?"  
  
Harry shrugged, not really knowing how to answer that. "I don't think they do until they see this." With his hand, Harry pushed back the bangs on his forehead to reveal his scar.  
  
Tilly moved up to get a closer look. Gently, she ran a finger across the noticeable mark. "Voldie's work . . ." Her gaze lowered to lock with Harry's green eyes. Sympathy poured out from her own brown ones as she murmured, "But that's not the worst scar he's left on you, hmm?" Harry shook his head, never breaking eye contact.  
  
Tilly looked away first as she walked over to the fireplace in the room. With a swish of her wand, it blazed up with fire. A moment later, a head appeared in the flames. "What is it, Ms. Jensun?" an annoyed voice asked from the apparition.  
  
"Sir, we've had a request for Reese."   
  
The head began to swerve back and forth as if trying to see around Tilly. But she didn't move. "Who is it?" the head demanded.  
  
Quite calmly, Tilly replied, "I don't believe it to be wise to say who. I need a Floo connection to Diagon Alley . . . a direct connection."  
  
The head seemed to be somewhat flabbergasted. "You won't Say!? Now listen here, Ms. Jensun. I will not open any connection of any kind until you give me some more information."  
  
Lupin suddenly stepped up next to Tilly and said, "Hello, Ed . . . enjoying your new position as Assistant Supervisor of the Department of Magical Transportation, I see. Is Carter in? Oh . . . doesn't matter. I can just contact him with that wizard beeper device of his . . . though he doesn't really like to be bothered . . ."  
  
"All right, all right," Ed said grumpily. "It's not that hard to see what you're up to, Remus. You're not planning on using the Floo for your pack of wolves, are you? Oh wait . . . that's right . . . werewolves don't run in packs."  
  
Lupin was staring daggers into the fire. "Boys! Boys! Right now, we need the special connection. Can we get it or do I have to hunt down your boss?"  
  
Ed gave her a pompous look as he replied, "I doubt that he would even speak to a Yankee, like you." Both Lupin and Tilly edged towards the fireplace, wands drawn. Ed's eyes widened a bit as he stammered, "But . . . as it seems to be so terribly important, I'll get one set up for you. It'll take me about an hour." With that said, the head disappeared.  
  
Tilly shook her head and muttered, "What a jerk!" Then turning to Harry and Ginny, she asked, "Would you like something to eat . . . since you didn't really get to finish your food from earlier?" Both nodded silently. The woman then looked at Lupin and asked, "How about you? Want some wolf chow?"  
  
Lupin made a face at her. "A Butterbeer would taste much better, thank you." She just smiled at him with a quick nod of her head.  
  
Tilly was just about at the door when Ginny said in a rush, "Er . . . madam? . . . could you . . . er . . . show me where . . ."  
  
With a soft laugh, Tilly nodded as she motioned Ginny to follow her. "Come with me, Ginny. I'll show you where it is."  
  
Harry watched as Ginny, blushing madly, got up from the table and left with Tilly. As soon as they were gone, Harry turned to Lupin and asked, "What was all that about . . . the Floo connection? What's going on?"  
  
Lupin looked thoughtfully at Harry before saying, "We need to use a secure, direct connection to insure you safely getting to Diagon Alley. Harry . . . things are getting much worse out there. We're still managing to keep the Muggles in the dark, but . . . I don't know for how much longer."  
  
Harry nodded. "Do you know if anyone else survived?" Lupin appeared to not understand as he crinkled his forehead. So Harry clarified, "From the attack on the Burrow . . . who else survived, other than Ginny and I?"  
  
Now Lupin looked as if he understood. His frown and downward gaze didn't give Harry much hope for his friends. Lupin sighed heavily, "I'm sorry, Harry . . . I just don't know. I was out on a mission when I heard you were missing. The only details I got were that you'd flown off in this direction. This is the first contact I've had since I was told that much." The older man paused, then asked quietly, "What did happen, Harry? How'd you and Ginny wind up wandering around over here?"  
  
For the next ten minutes, Harry told Lupin about everything that had happened since the attack. He finished at the point were Lupin had found him and Ginny. With a mischievous grin, Lupin teased, "Yes, and you came charging to the rescue with the 'Unhand her' line. How gallant of you."   
  
Harry made a face as he muttered, "Oh, shut it, you."  
  
Lupin chuckled, then slowly became more serious. "I would think, though Harry, that if you two escaped, then the others may have as well."  
  
Ginny had walked in as Lupin was talking. She sat some bottles of Butterbeer down on the table, then took a seat next to Harry. "Are you talking about my family? Do you know if they're okay?" She gave Lupin a hopeful gaze that soon fell as the Professor shook his head with a light shrug.  
  
Harry watched Ginny with concern as she turned away from them both. "I think that I should discuss some things with Tilly . . . I'll be back in a little bit, "Lupin said quietly, the left the room.  
  
For awhile, Harry and Ginny sat silently, each other lost in his or her own thoughts. Ginny's soft voice suddenly cut through the silence as she asked, "Do you think they made it? What . . . what if they didn't? What if they're all dead and I'm the last Weasley left. I'll be all alone . . . I don't want to be alone."  
  
Placing his hand on Ginny's shoulder, Harry said in a firm but gentle voice, "You're not, Gin. And you'll never be. You've still got me . . . and I won't leave you alone. We'll face all this together, okay?"  
  
Ginny looked into Harry's bright green eyes with tears flowing from her deep brown ones. Then, without warning, she leaned over and gave Harry a grateful hug. Harry just sat there for a moment, feeling quite awkward. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arm around the girl and hugged her back gently.  
  
The sound of someone clearing her throat came from the doorway, causing the two to jump apart. Tilly walked into the room carrying a tray filled with food. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to bring this in to you." She set the tray down and turned to leave.  
  
Ginny, however, stopped her as she stated, "Tilly's from America . . . which state was it again?"  
  
Tilly looked back at them and smiled. "New York."  
  
Nodding, Ginny asked, "So did you go to a school of wizards and witches over there?"  
  
Tilly sat down at the table. "Oh yeah. I went to Rogue's Hollow Academy in Ohio. Some of the best years of my life were spent there." Ginny asked, almost pleaded, Tilly to tell them about being a witch in America. So, Tilly sat down with them and told them story after story about her life. Although Ginny appeared to be listening, Harry could tell that her mind was elsewhere. Her responses to Tilly's stories seemed to lag just a bit. Harry had to admit that he was having difficulties listening as he was so worried about his friends . . . and, he realized with some surprise, how Ginny was doing.  
  
Lupin walked back into the room and sat at the table as Tilly started dishing out food for them. No one made a move towards the food, so Tilly stated bluntly, "Your bodies need nourishment, whether you are hungry or not. Not eating won't make the time pass quicker . . . nor will it make any changes in what has happened. It will, however, give you the strength to face whatever the future has in store for you." The three stared at her, so she added with a motherly authoritative tone, "Eat! Now! I expect to see those plates cleaned."  
  
To his surprise, Harry watched as Ginny picked up a sandwich and took a bite. Tilly smiled affectionately at the young girl, then turned her gaze to the two males. Her __expression reminded Harry so much of Professor McGonnagall . . . and Hermione. Without realizing it, Harry picked up his sandwich and began to eat. Next to him, Lupin gave a short sigh, then started on his own plate of food. Satisfied, Tilly went about cleaning up and such.  
  
The food did help. Harry hadn't realized just how hungry he was. Looking over, he saw that Ginny had eaten about the same amount as him. Tilly began to zap away the dishes and remaining food when a head appeared once more in the fireplace. "About ruddy time," the woman muttered, then turned to walk over to it. "Is the connection set?" she asked, skipping any small talk.  
  
Ed answered back, "Yes, Ms. Jensun. You will have a direct connection from there to Diagon Alley for about ten minutes. Now, I need to return to more important matters. Good-Day!" With a puff, the head disappeared.  
  
Lupin got up and said sarcastically, "I'm hurt. I would have thought he'd want to talk more." Tilly just gave a light snort.  
  
"Well," she said quietly to the kids, "We've only a small time to do this. Listen carefully." She went over to the mantle and picked up two jars. Opening one, she pulled out two small pouches on strings. She then handed one to Harry and the other to Ginny. "Put these on. They each have some Floo powder in them. If, when you get to Diagon Alley, it isn't safe, then get back here immediately. Just say 'Lancer's Inn' and it will bring you here."  
  
Both teens nodded as they moved to the fireplace. Harry noticed that Lupin was hanging back some, so he asked, "Aren't you coming with us, Professor Lupin?"  
  
The older man shook his head. "No, Harry. I need to get back out on assignment." He walked over to Harry, though, and shook the boy's hand. "Take care, Harry. And please, listen to Professor Dumbledore. We need you to stay safe." He looked at Ginny and said quietly, "I hope all your family is okay and safe, Miss Weasley. You take care too . . . and take care of Harry, here."  
  
Ginny blushed lightly as she impulsively gave the professor a hug. Lupin's face seemed shocked at first, but slowly it melted into a warm smile. Ginny gave Tilly a quick hug as well, then stepped towards the fire.  
  
Harry stopped her as he said, "Let me go first." He knew that it was stereotypical of him to want to go first; but if there was any danger at all, he wanted to do everything possible to protect Ginny.  
  
Ginny didn't seem to mind as she nodded at him, smiling softly. Taking a deep breath, Harry put the pouch around his neck and picked up his broom and backpack. He flung a handful of Floo powder into the fire. As the flames took on a greenish glow, he stepped into the fireplace and said, "Diagon Alley!"  
  
  
A/N: Thanks again for reading another chapter. Another thank you to all of you who responded to my request of letting me know who all's reading this fic. I'm glad that many of you are enjoying it. I will agree with those of you who mentioned that it started slow, but I've been trying to keep as close to JK's style of writing as I can. As for the question of how Cho fits into the story - you'll all just have to wait & see ;-) Feel free to leave me comments & reviews. And thanks again. 


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the series. I'm just borrowing for fun.  
  
  
Author's note: *******Warning******** I just want to forewarn you; there is a character death in this chapter. Please do not hate me or flame me for this - it's all part of the story. Feel free to leave me a review, just be nice. This was a hard chapter to write.  
Thanks.  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
  
The soot from the fireplace made Harry cough as he stumbled into the Leaky Cauldron's main room. As he blinked his eyes to clear them, he saw a most welcome sight . . . Tom, coming towards him with a toothy grin. "'arry Potter! You're alive! We all thought that You-Know-Who got you!"  
  
  
Harry gave him a weak smile. He was about to reply when from behind him came, "Oh Harry! Is that you . . . Is that Really You?"  
  
  
Turning around, Harry found himself suddenly gathered into a rather smothering hug. "It's really me, Mrs. Weasley," he managed to say as she continued to hug him tightly.  
  
  
She pulled away, still holding to him, and looked at him closely. Harry noticed immediately that her eyes were bloodshot, as if from endless hours of crying. In a trembling voice, she asked, "Where's Ginny? Please tell me that you brought my baby girl back to me."  
  
  
Again, Harry went to open his mouth to answer, but a sound from the fireplace interrupted him. The fire turned a bright green and Harry managed to turn out of Mrs. Weasley's grasp just in time to catch Ginny as she suddenly fell out of the flames. She looked up at him and said, "I really missed that way of traveling."   
  
  
Harry could only chuckle lightly. As soon as he got Ginny back on her feet, he had to leap back out of the way as mother and daughter caught sight of each other. He, no doubt, would have been crushed if he hadn't. Mrs. Weasley sobbed uncontrollably as she clung to her child. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you," she cried over and over to no one in particular. Ginny had tears flowing down her cheeks also. Looking up at Harry, Mrs. Weasley said between her sobs, "We owe you everything, Harry . . . you brought her back."  
  
  
As before, Harry opened his mouth. But before he could utter a sound, footsteps could be heard slowly heading down the stairs near them. They all glanced over in that direction as Fred and George came around the corner. Immediately, the twins stopped. Then with wide grins they yelled in unison, "HARRY! GINNY!" Once more, Harry was caught up in an overly squashing hug as the twins nabbed him. As Mrs. Weasley wouldn't let go of Ginny, the twins just wrapped their arms around them both. Although Harry could see she was still crying, he was relieved when he heard Ginny giggle at the antics of her brothers.  
  
  
It wasn't that he wasn't happy to see the twins or Mrs. Weasley, but Harry just needed to know if Ron and Hermione were all right. The sound of feet pounding down the stairs distracted him from asking. However, just at that moment, the answer to his question came rushing into the room. "HARRY! I knew you would make it!" Ron hollared as he threw an arm around his best friend. Hermione, who had followed in behind Ron, didn't say anything. She just burst into tears as she flung herself at Harry.  
  
  
As Ron wrapped his other arm around Hermione, they found themselves in a group hug. Of course, when Fred and George saw this, they too had to join in. Ron, Fred, George, and Harry all started talking at once. Everyone wanted to know what had happened. Ron was just saying, "Where's..." when Hermione yelled, "GINNY!"  
  
  
Ron whipped around, searching wildly for his little sister. Spotting her in their mother's grasp, he bolted over to her and managed to pry her away from Mrs. Weasley. Ginny hugged her brother tightly for a moment, then let him go so she could hug Hermione. Both girls seemed to be laughing and crying at the same time.  
  
  
Standing back by Harry, Ron asked, "What happened to the two of you? Once second we were all together, and then I looked back and you were both gone. I wanted to go back, but . . ." He glanced at Hermione with an odd _expression. "Well, I knew that you'd take good care of Ginny. And I . . . we had to get the rest of us to safety."  
  
  
Harry nodded, glancing back and forth between the two girls and Ron. "Well . . ." he started to say when bursting through the back entrance came Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie. Mr. Weasley looked a bit wide-eyed as he surveyed the group before him. Then his eyes fell on Ginny and the tears began to flow. "Virginia!" he said in barely a whisper as he took a shaky step towards her.  
  
  
Ginny smiled lovingly at him as she ran across the room to her father. "Daddy!" she cried softly even as he scooped her up into a bear hug and spun her around.  
  
  
"My baby girl . . . my baby girl," he murmured over and over. As soon as Mr. Weasley sat Ginny back onto her feet, Bill and Charlie took turns twirling her in tight hugs. As they did, Mr. Weasley walked over to Harry and grabbed his hand in a firm handshake. "Thank you, Harry! Thank you! You brought her back to us safely."  
  
  
"No . . . it wasn't me," Harry exclaimed, earning himself several bewildered looks. Even Ginny looked at him oddly. He took a deep breath, then said, "It took both of us. You all keep saying that I brought her back safely, but . . . we couldn't . . . neither of us alone . . . could have made it back to you. We worked together to get back safe." Harry paused, looking across the room at Ginny. The young girl was smiling warmly at him in appreciation.  
  
  
Mr. Weasley patted Harry on the back as he stated, "I'm sure that's true. I'm just so glad that you are both back here with us . . . safe and sound."  
  
  
Ginny glanced around quickly as she asked, "Where's Percy? Is he at the ministry?"  
  
  
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense and quiet as everyone exchanged looks. Harry and Ginny were the only two who appeared to be bewildered. Slowly, as he glanced at each person's face, Harry began to feel sick to his stomach. His gaze finally came to rest on Ginny who had paled considerably. "No . . . no . . . not Percy," she pleaded in a desperate, yet soft voice. "He's not . . . Please! Tell me he's not . . ."  
  
  
As Mr. Weasley whispered, "He didn't make it," Ginny collapsed to the floor in a fresh batch of tears.  
  
  
Harry found himself wanting to go over to her and comfort her, but he wasn't able to move. He was barely able to breathe. Somehow, he managed to choke out, "How?"  
  
  
In a daze, Harry watched as Mrs. Weasley and Hermione helped Ginny over to a seat. He wasn't even aware that Mr. Weasley and Ron were doing the same for him. At least not until he found himself sliding into one of the chairs around a large table. As soon as they were all seated, Mr. Weasley began to speak.  
  
  
"When the attack came, Bill, Charlie, . . . Percy . . ., Molly, and I were in the kitchen. Molly apparated out immediately to go for help and I gave the warning to evacuate. Then . . . the whole house was filled with Death Eaters. Everything happened so fast. Re-enforcements arrived . . . it was just chaos. Then, the Death Eaters all just vanished. When the smoke had cleared . . . we realized that Percy was missing."  
  
  
Harry interrupted, "So, he's just missing? . . . He could be still alive?"  
  
Mr. Weasley shook his head sadly. "We found his body about two hours later outside the house." A heart breaking sob from Ginny made Harry crumble in his chair. Mr. Weasley continued to tell them what had happened after that, but Harry no longer could hear him. All that he seemed to be able to hear was the sound of Ginny softly crying . . . and all he could think of was that Percy was dead because of him.  
  
  
Tom brought out some hot tea for them all and served it silently. Mrs. Weasley gently urged her daughter to take a sip of the steaming drink. Harry just stared at his cup blankly. The silence in the room was broken by Mr. Weasley saying, "I know that this doesn't seem like the time, but we need to know what happened to you two. How did you get separated from the rest? How'd you find the Lancer's Inn?"  
  
  
One look at Ginny, and Harry knew it would be up to him to explain. So, in a low and emotionless tone, he told them what had happened. He was dimly aware of their reactions to the things like Ginny falling from her broom and his casting a spell that had nearly got them caught. Still, his voice never changed. By the time he finished, Mrs. Weasley was once again clinging tightly to her daughter.   
  
  
Harry had left some things out. He hadn't felt it necessary to tell them about how he'd broken down emotionally in the forest, or Ginny's ability to sense Dementors from far distances, and definitely how many awkward situations the two of them had found themselves in together. Those things didn't seem to matter much right then. When he'd finally finished speaking, Harry took a drink of his tea.  
  
  
Everyone seemed to be just sitting there, taking in the information they'd received. The sound of a clock chiming midnight broke their deep thoughts. Bill looked at the clock and then back at the young people sitting at the table. Quietly, he said, "I think that it would be a good idea for everyone to get some sleep. We can discuss this more in the morning." Mr. Weasley nodded in agreement.  
  
  
As Mrs. Weasley helped Ginny up, she said to her husband, "I'm just going to make sure that the children are all tucked in okay, then I'll be back down." Under different circumstances, the twins, Ron, and Harry might have protested being called children and needing to be tucked in; but none of them said a word.  
  
  
They all got up from the table and headed up to the guest rooms. At the second door in the hall, Mrs. Weasley paused. She opened up the door and began to usher the girls into the room. The twins and Ron took turns giving their little sister a hug. Harry wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Ron and Hermione grasp hands for just a second. He, himself, wanted to say something to Ginny, but he didn't know what. So, he just caught her gaze and held it for a moment. Then softly, he whispered, "G'night Gin." The four boys then quietly headed down to their own room.  
  
  
By the time Mrs. Weasley came into their room to check on them, Harry was already in bed. He wasn't asleep, however. Not wanting to talk anymore, he decided to pretend as if he were. He listened as Mrs. Weasley checked on the twins and then Ron. In a quiet voice, he heard Ron ask, "Are the girls okay?" Harry couldn't hear what Mrs. Weasley replied, but it must have put Ron at ease. Ron said good-night to his mother, then there was silence in the room.  
  
  
At first, Harry thought that perhaps Mrs. Weasley had crept quietly out of the room. A gentle stroke of fingers across his forehead made him realize that she hadn't. Harry continued to act as if her were sleeping. In a hushed voice, he heard Mrs. Weasley say, "Your mum and dad would have been very proud of you, Harry dear. I know that Arthur and I are. You may not be our son, but you are definitely on of our family . . . and we love you. I'm so thankful to have you and Ginny back with us . . . I'm just so thankful."  
  
  
There was a momentary silence, then Harry felt the most amazing sensation. A light pressure was felt on the top of Harry's head. It took him a moment to realize that it was Mrs. Weasley kissing his forehead lightly; such a motherly sign of affection. Harry could feel the tears welling up in his closed eyes. The pressure left and he hear Mrs. Weasley murmur a good-night to him. As he listened to her footsteps cross the room to leave, Harry felt one lone tear exape his eye and slowly trickle down his cheek.  
  
  
It was a few hours later when Harry woke up. He hadn't even realized that he'd fallen asleep. But now, he found himself unable to lie still. Quietly, he snuck out of the room. As he passed by the girls' room, Harry paused and placed his hand gently on the door. He had no intentions of going in or of even opening the door. But, for some unknown reason, it comforted him to know that they . . . Ginny and Hermione . . . were safely behind that door.  
  
  
He hadn't realized it until just then that, besides Mrs. Weasley, these two girls were the only females with a significant impact on his life. He didn't count Aunt Petunia because of her treatment of him over the years. But Mrs. Weasley was very much a mother figure to him. And Hermione was his best friend and almost like a sister . . . just as Ron was like a brother. And then there was Ginny. Harry wasn't sure how to catagorize her. He only knew that she was now a special part of his life.  
  
  
Taking the stairs down to the main area of the Leaky Cauldron, Harry's thoughts switched to one other girl that seemed to effect his life. Cho Chang. The mere thought of her name brought back images of her flying on her broom, smiling at him across the field. Then it brought other, less welcomed, images. The look on her face as he asked her to the Yule Ball and she told him no. The image of her and Cedric dancing across the Great Hall. The memory of how her dark hair floated in the water as Harry waited for Cedric to rescue her. The expression of sorrow and heartbreak shining through the tears in her eyes at Cedric's memorial. These pictures kept coming with each step that Harry took down the stairs. As he reached the bottom, he sighed heavily.  
  
  
"Early riser, too?" a voice said in the room, causing Harry to jump. He looked over to see Charlie sitting at a table by the fireplace. The older boy chuckled lightly as he motioned Harry to come over. "Sorry about that, mate," Charlie said as Harry took a seat. "So . . . couldn't sleep either?" Harry shook his head. "Yeah," Charlie went on, seeming quite comfortable to make all the conversation. "I'm not on the same time schedule as you all are . . . too used to Romania's, I guess."  
  
  
They sat quietly for a moment before Charlie spoke up. "Listen, Harry. I know that you've been told thank you for bringing back Ginny . . ."  
  
  
Harry interrupted, "The two of us brought each other back. We worked together."  
  
  
Charlie grinned at the younger boy, saying, "I'll be sure to thank Ginny in the morning for having brought you back safely, then. Look. I know what you are saying, Harry. But that doesn't change the thankfullness that we all feel towards you. You have come through several times for our family. And, well, you are so much a part of our family that . . . I just wanted you to know that if you ever needed some big brother type advice, you can always come to me."  
  
  
Harry looked at the older boy with surprise. He wasn't all that close to either Bill or Charlie, but Charlie was here offering to be a kind of big brother to him. The thought made Harry smile. "Thanks, Charlie. I'll keep that in mind."  
  
  
"Ooh!"  
  
  
Both boys turned to look over at the staircase. Hermione was standing at the bottom of it, dressed for the day and holding a book in one hand. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't think anyone else would be up yet."  
  
  
Harry smiled at her as he realized that this was the first she'd spoken since he and Ginny had returned the night before. Charlie motioned to the young girl as he said, "Come on over, Hermione, and join us. We're just passing the time until the others get up. Would you like some tea or coffee?"  
  
  
Hermione sat down next to Harry as she answered, "Some tea, please." Charlie nodded, then left the room to get some tea for them all.  
  
  
Once alone, Harry sat watching Hermione as she carefully avoided looking at him. Finally, after a long silent minute, he said, "So, what happened with you, Ron, and the twins? No one's told me yet. Did you get to the safety zone without any problems?"  
  
  
"You mean other than the fact that we'd lost you and Ginny?" Hermione snapped.  
  
  
Harry was startled by her tone. "Yes," he replied quietly, "Other than that. He was feeling a bit uneasy with the way Hermione was acting.  
  
  
"We reached the safety zone just after sunrise," Hermione said in a calmer tone. "Ron immediately wanted to go back after you two. I begged him not to. I honestly thought that you two would show up not too far behind us." She paused, dropping her gaze down to her hands. "But you never did. A day passed and you still didn't show up. We got back to here, hoping maybe you'd just gone to another safety zone and we'd find you both here. But no one knew where you were. And Percy was gone. We were all thinking the worst. I . . . I just kept thinking . . . what if we'd gone back . . . looked for you both right away . . .?"  
  
  
Harry placed a hand gently over Hermione's clinched ones as he whispered, "I'm sorry. I wish that none of this happened. I wish that Percy . . ." He couldn't finish.  
  
  
Hermione nodded, though, in understanding. "Ginny's taking it pretty hard. She cried for a good part of the night. I think she only fell asleep maybe an hour or so ago."  
  
  
The thought of Ginny crying throughout the night bothered Harry a great deal. "She's been through so much for someone so young," he stated quietly. It surprised him when Hermione gave him an odd look, then began to laugh softly. He thought perhaps she was starting to have a nervous break down or something.  
  
  
However, Hermione managed to say, "I'm sorry for laughing, Harry, but you talk as if she's Years younger than us. You do realize that she's only one year younger, don't you? In fact, she's not even a whole year younger than you."  
  
  
Thinking this over, Harry was relatively shocked to find that he'd no idea exactly how close in age Ginny was to them. "Guess I never really thought of it before," he said simply.  
  
  
Charlie walked into the room right about then. As he passed out the tea, he asked, "What haven't you thought about before, Harry?"  
  
  
If it'd been up to him, Harry wouldn't have included Charlie in on the conversation Hermione and he had been having. But, Hermione beat him to the punch by saying, "Harry's never thought about how close in age he and Ginny are."  
  
  
Harry scowled at the girl as he added, "You, Ron, I and Ginny."  
  
  
"What about Ginny, Hermione, you, and I, Harry?" a voice said sleepily form the stairs. Looking over, they saw Ron shuffling towards them with eyelids barely open.  
  
  
Charlie decided to chime in at this point by saying, "Harry was just commenting on how close in age Ginny is to the three of you."  
  
  
Ron gave Harry an odd look. "Oh? And why is Ginny's age an issue?"  
  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "It's Not! I just never really thought about it before."  
  
  
Sitting down on the other side of Hermione, Ron said, "Oh. Well . . . why should you have?" Hermione made a hmphing sound, while Charlie just chuckled lightly.  
  
  
Charlie poured Ron some tea, which he sipped on appreciatively. "We don't have anything to eat, do we?" Ron inquired.  
  
  
Hermione gave him another odd look, then got up from the table. "Why don't we go check in the kitchen. That's usually where food can be found."  
  
  
Ron took another sip of his tea while waving away Hermione with his free hand. "You go ahead. I want to talk to Harry for a bit."  
  
  
Scowling, Hermione turned and stalked away. Charlie whapped his younger brother on the arm as he said, "Good going, Romeo!"  
  
  
"What?" Ron said, looking at his brother with bewilderment.   
  
  
Charlie got up from the table. As he passed by Ron, he ruffled the boy's hair. Leaning down slightly, he then whispered, "I think, Ron, that you just blew your chance to be alone with the girl." With a smirk, Charlie walked out of the room in the direction that Hermione had just gone.  
  
  
As soon as he was out of sight, Ron rolled his eyes at Harry as he said, "The boy's bonkers, absolute bonkers, I tell you." Harry couldn't help smirking a bit too, as it was quite noticable how red Ron's ears were.  
  
  
To change the subject, Ron said, "I really am glad that you made it back. Was it awful out there?"  
  
  
Harry shook his head. "We didn't come into any contact with anyone from the wizarding world until we reached the Lancer's Inn."  
  
  
Ron gave him a grim look as he asked, "And you really stayed with a Muggle? How'd you know that she was a Muggle and not a Death Eater or something?"  
  
  
At that, Harry gave a half smile. "Sugar Coating Glamour Cubes," was all he said.  
  
  
Ron must have understood, because he got an incredulous _expression on his face as he said, "You didn't . . ." Harry nodded, grinning broadly now. Ron went on to say, "I can't believe you put one in her drink . . ."  
  
  
"Actually," Harry interrupted, "Ginny was the one who slipped it into her tea." It surprised him to hear the large amount of admiration in his voice as he spoke about Ginny.   
  
  
Ron either didn't notice or chose to ignore it. "Well," the redhead said, "It was a smart move, mate."  
  
  
Hermione and Charlie came back from the kitchen carrying a platter filled with pastries and muffins. "This will have to do until Tom is up and cooking," Charlie said. He smiled sideways at Hermione as he added, "Though, I'd bet that Hermione, here, could whip up a scrumptous meal without batting an eye."  
  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at Hermione who was blushing furiously at Charlie's compliment. Glaring a bit, Ron muttered, "She could do just about anything without batting an eye . . . as long as it involved a book."  
  
  
Hermione's face didn't change color at all as her gaze shifted from Charlie to Ron. But the _expression definitely did. "I'll have you know, Ron, that I can cook dozens of meals without even glancing at a book," Hermione said in a lofty tone.  
  
  
Ron just smirked. "Yeah . . . but are they edible?"  
  
  
Harry shook his head at his two friends as they began another one of their famous bickering sessions. Charlie, who had sat down next to Harry again, nudged him as he whispered, "I believe this is their version of flirting."  
  
  
A loud snicker from Harry caused Ron and Hermione to pause in their arguement. As they looked at Harry in puzzlement, he said quickly, "Please . . . don't stop on our account. Continue with your little . . . interlude. Just give us fair warning if this is going to turn into something more . . . intimate."  
  
  
Charlie burst out laughing as Ron glared at his best friend. Hermione, thouroughly embarrassed, exclaimed, "Harry!" She jumped up from the table and stomped over to the stairs. Calling over her shoulder, she said, "I'm going to go check on Ginny. Maybe when I get back down here, you two boys will have matured a little . . . though I highly doubt it."  
  
  
Harry noticed that Ron never stopped watching Hermione until she had disappeared up the stairs. Then he turned to Harry and said quietly, "It's good to see her back to normal. She's been worried sick about Crookshanks. The stupid cat must have ran off during the attack and no ones been able to locate it. But that's been nothing compared to what she was going through while you and Ginny were missing . . ."   
  
  
Ron paused, shaking his head slightly. "She wasn't handling it very well." The boy sighed, then ran his fingers through his red hair as he added, "I suppose that I didn't either."  
  
  
The three boys talked more quietly for awhile about the war against the Dark Lord. Bill came down after awhile and joined them, soon followed by Fred and George. By the time Mr. and Mrs. Weasley appeared, Tom was just starting to dish out eggs, bacon, bangers, and toast. Ron kept glancing at the stairs. As he bit a peice of toast, he said quietly to Harry, "I wonder what's keeping the girls."  
  
  
Harry was fairly certain that Ron was more eager to see Hermione than his sister. He, himself, was eager to see them both . . . though more so Ginny than Hermione. Harry was worried about her. She'd looked so upset the night before. "Maybe Ginny's just wanting to be alone for a bit," Harry commented.   
  
  
However, right at that moment, both Hermione and Ginny came down the stairs. The large round table they were all sitting at had one empty seat, next to Ron.  
  
  
Hermione must have been still peeved at Ron because she refused to even look at him. Charlie jumped out of his chair next to Harry and said graciously, "Here you go, Hermione. I'm all done here so you can have my seat."  
  
  
Smiling her thanks, Hermione nodded. Then she glanced over at Ginny. Harry could tell that the girl had been crying. He also noticed that she apparantly wanted to stay by Hermione. The older girl glanced over at Harry and Ron with a meaningful look. Immediately, Harry elbowed Ron as he said, "Budge over . . . so Ginny can sit here."  
  
  
Ron opened his mouth as if to argue, but then glanced up at his sister. Sympathy flowed from the boy's eyes as he quietly got up and moved over a chair. Harry jumped out of his seat and then held it as he said, "Here you go, Gin."  
  
  
The young girl gave Harry a sad, but appreciative look for a moment, then slipped into the seat. Mrs. Weasley began to send over tea and food so it would be within easy reach of both the girls.  
  
  
As Harry sat down in the chair Ron had been in, Mrs. Weasley said in an overly casual voice, "Well children, we've a great deal to do today. We need to get school supplies for the whole lot of you. That will take about all day to get everything . . ."  
  
  
Ginny interrupted by saying softly, "I don't want to go shopping, mum. Not today. I just want to go home." Harry felt the same though he would have never said so. Still, he understood how Ginny felt. Getting back to the Burrow,to the one place that felt like a home, was all that mattered at the moment.  
  
  
Turning to see what Ginny's parents would say, Harry immediately frowned. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were looking at each other with _expressions mixed with horror, sadness, and an almost defeated look. Ginny must have seen it too, for she asked, "What? We Can go home, can't we?"  
  
  
Mrs. Weasley sighed wearily, then looked away. Mr. Weasley, however, held his daughter's gaze without faltering. "No, Ginny . . . none of us can go back to the Burrow right now. It isn't safe."  
  
  
The whole table suddenly exploded into loud, demanding conversation. Apparently, this was news to everyone except Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie. The twins were talking in unison at their parents, while Ron was demanding to know when it had been decided that they'd not go back to the Burrow. Hermione was almost hysterical as she asked over and over, "What about Crookshanks? What about Crookshanks?"  
  
  
Ginny and Harry were the only two not speaking. Looking at the girl next to him, Harry shivered slightly. He'd never seen her look so angry before. But, she said nothing. She just sat there, glaring at her father, while he calmly gazed back at her. Mrs. Weasley began to screech for quiet, but no one paid attention. Not even realizing he was speaking aloud, Harry asked, "If we can't go back to the Burrow, then . . . where Will we go?"  
  
  
Mr. Weasley's eye contact broke away from Ginny and turned on Harry. He had the smallest of smiles on his face as if grateful for Harry's question. "If you will all be silent, I will fill you in on the plans.:  
  
  
The twins were both muttering under their breaths, but they took their seats again. Charlie stood over Hermione, patting her shoulder comfortingly. Ron was now glaring at his brother, Charlie, instead of at his parents. Ginny hadn't moved. As everyone calmed down, Mr. Weasley cleared his throat before speaking.  
  
  
"After the attack, most of the protection spells and charms around the Burrow were destroyed. We were able to transport everyone's necessities to the Leaky Cauldron, but . . . we just don't believe it's safe to go back." He looked pointedly at Hermione as he added, "Not even for Crookshanks. Though, I'm sure that he'll be able to protect himself." Hermione didn't look as if she believed that.  
  
  
Mr. Weasley went on to say, "Hedwig, Pig, and Hermes are all fine and at the Magical Menagerie. But, I'm afraid that we lost Errol last night. We were at the Menagerie when we found out that Harry and Ginny had returned."  
  
  
"You still haven't said where will go. If not the Burrow, then where?" Harry really wanted to know . . . needed to know that he wasn't about to be sent back to his Uncle and Aunt's house.  
  
  
Mr. Weasley seemed to realize his line of questioning, for he answered without hesitation, "Well, you Won't be going back to the Dursley's." Harry couldn't help it, he sighed with obvious relief.  
  
  
"We've discussed it," Mr. Weasley went on, glancing at his wife, "And we've spoken to Professor Dumbledore. He's agreed to allow George, Fred, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny to come to Hogwarts early. We plan on getting all your things today and then tomorrow . . . tomorrow, the six of you will take the Hogwarts Express to school."  
  
  
Fred spoke up quickly, "What about you and mum? And Bill . . . and Charlie? Where are you all going?"  
  
  
Again, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley exchanged glances. "Well," Mr. Weasley said after a moment, "Bill is going back to help with Gringotts. Charlie will be working on a project using dragons against the Dementors. And . . ." He paused, looking to his wife for reassurance. She nodded silently. "Your mother and I will be working out in the field for the ministry."  
  
  
Once again, the table burst into a chorus of chaos, but Mr. Weasley raised his hand to ask for silence. As it quieted down, he said in a low voice, "Things are getting worse. And I fear that it's only the beginning. We all have to do our part to try and stop the Dark Lord. That means Bill, Charlie, your mum, and I going out and doing whatever it takes. And it also means that you six Need to go to school and Learn . . . everything that you can. It's my hope that it doesn't come to this, but . . . this battle may at some point fall solely on your shoulders . . . and you need to be ready."  
  
  
No one spoke. It was so quiet that the crackling of the fire was almost deafening. Finally, Ron stood up and said, "Right then . . . we've all got work to do." Harry watched as his best friend walked over to his father and shook his hand. "You can count on me to do my part, dad. I won't let you down."  
  
  
Mr. Weasley pulled his youngest son into a hug as he said proudly, "I know you will. You've never yet have let me down, son."  
  
  
Harry heard a small sob next to him and turned to look at the girls. Hermione, though crying softly, was gazing at the scene of father and son with a gentle smile and eyes beaming with admiration. Ginny, however, was looking down at her hands. She wasn't crying . . . still, she looked broken.  
  
  
Without realizing it, Harry reached over and covered the young girl's small clasped hands with his larger one. She stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed again. Charlie moved over to stand behind his sister. As he rubbed her shoulders gently, he looked at Harry and gave him a small smile.  
  
  
"Well," said Mrs. Weasley as she wiped at her eyes, "We best be off now. Lots to do." Everyone at the table began to get up and make their way out the back. Harry had moved his hand from Ginny's as he stood. He noticed that she waas much slower than the rest in leaving. Hermione gently urged her to come along, in which she finally did.  
  
  
Shopping in Diagon Alley had always been an exciting and enjoyable experience for Harry. But it just wasn't the same this year. From the moment they entered, Harry could sense the tension in the air. People were going about their business, rarely making eye contact with anyone else. It seemed that no one knew exactly who to trust. All in this section were supposedly against Voldemort, but . . . one could never be absolutely certain.  
  
  
It was decided that they should divide up in groups to get their things. Charlie went with Fred and George. Mrs. Weasley took Hermione and Ginny. As Mr. Weasley had some business to attend to, Bill accompanied Ron and Harry.   
  
  
Bill turned out to be a fairly decent chaperon . . . if one had to have one, that is. He basically just walked with them and chatted about Quidditch and such. They eventually ran into Charlie and the twins at the Quidditch shop.  
  
  
After a half an hour of drooling over some of the latest models and assessories, the boys heard the sound of giggling coming from the entrance. Harry turned to see Hermione and Ginny slowly walking towards them with their heads bent together in deep conversation. Whatever they were discussing, it was causing Hermione to have occassional bouts of giggles and Ginny to smile just a bit.  
  
  
Ron elbowed Harry as he said quietly, "Now, why is it that I find That to be a frightening sight . . . Hermione actually giggling?"  
  
  
Charlie, who was right behind them, smacked Ron on the back as he said cheerfully, "Probably because you're certain that it's You they're giggling about."  
  
  
Ron shoved his brother's hand off as he made a face back at him. "Ger'off Charlie . . . I wasn't talking to you."  
  
  
It surprised Harry that Charlie didn't seem at all bothered by his younger brother's behavior towards him. In fact, Charlie just smiled, then headed over to talk to Hermione and Ginny. Harry glanced over at his best friend to find him shooting daggers across the store at his brother. Not sure whether to be appalled or amused by this scene of jealousy, Harry just shook his head and went over to talk to Bill.  
  
  
"Hello," the older boy said kindly. "So, do you have everything on your list?" Harry nodded silently, then glanced over to see Ron storming out of the shop. Bill saw it too. With a heavy sigh, Bill said, "I told Charlie to not do that." Then raising his voice, he called, "Oy! Charlie! Get over here!"  
  
  
With a bit of an impish grin, Charlie joined them. "Hullo, mates," he said nonchalantly.  
  
  
Bill just growled at him, "Don't be hulloing me. Do you realize that your little matchmaking slash jealousy games just caused your little brother to take off on his own?"  
  
  
Charlie snorted, "It's not like he's gone that far. He's right near the front window, looking in at us."  
  
  
Bill shook his head. "For now . . . this time. But what if your play flirting with young Hermione makes him so angry that he completely takes off? You know how Ron is. He'll go and get himself into trouble."  
  
  
Harry glanced back and forth between the two older Weasley brothers. In a quiet tone, he asked, "Why are you trying to make Ron jealous?"  
  
  
Charlie glanced at Harry with sparkling eyes. "Because my littlest brother is a stupid git. It's obvious that he's got a thing for Hermione . . . and I'm almost certain that she feels the same. But Ron refuses to admit his feelings . . . even to himself. If I tried to talk to him, he'd laugh. But, this way, I'm sort of pushing him into having to admit his feelings."  
  
  
Having said that, Charlie turned around and rejoined Hermione and Ginny. Watching the trio walk out of the shop and past a seething Ron, Harry muttered, "I think the sooner we get back to Hogwarts, the better."  
  
  
tbc 


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything in the series. I am just borrowing the characters and such for fun.  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
It was a somber group that entered the King's Cross Station the next morning. Everyone seemed to be trying to put on a brave face. Two by two, they entered Platform 9 3/4. As Harry passed through the barrier with Mr. Weasley, he glanced around and frowned. The normally busy platform had only a few people wandering around the Hogwart's Express. No one was laughing of chattering. Just a soft murmur of talking could be heard . . . and an occasional sob.  
  
"It's near time for the train to leave, so we should make our good-byes brief," Mr. Weasley stated as he wrapped an arm around his daughter.  
  
Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had been inseparable all morning. Harry could clearly see the pain in the older woman's face as she gave her little girl a loving hug and then let go. "You all be good," she said, trying to sound firm and in control. Glancing at the twins, she added, "Try to stay out of trouble. Watch out for each other." She gave Fred and George each strong hugs and kissed their foreheads with motherly affection. Turning to Ron, the woman said as she hugged him, "Be sure to study hard. Learning is very important."  
  
"Don't worry, Mum," Ron said, hugging her soundly. "You know that Hermione will see to it that we get all our homework done."  
  
Mrs. Weasley gave her youngest son a small smile as she said, "Yes . . . and we are all very lucky to have her with us, aren't we?"  
  
The tips of Ron's ears turned a deep red as he flickered a quick look in Hermione's direction. In a low voice, he answered, "Very."  
  
Mrs. Weasley turned to the now blushing Hermione and gave the girl a warm embrace. As she returned the gesture, Hermione said quietly, "I promise to keep an eye on them all."  
  
With a soft laugh, Mrs. Weasley replied, "I know you will, dear. Just don't get too hard on yourself if you can't keep the twins in line. And Ginny can be counted on to do her work and stay out of mischief. It seems to me that Ron will just have to be your main priority."  
  
Ron was now blushing profusely as he said in protest, "Mother!" Mrs. Weasley gave her son an impish smile, making him frown all the more. With a nod of his head towards Harry, Ron asked, "Besides . . . who's going to look after Harry's studies? He's as bad as me at getting his homework done."  
  
Mrs. Weasley turned her attention on the dark haired boy and considered him intently for a moment. Patting his face affectionately, she said, "I think that Harry will be just fine. If anything, he can help Hermione keep you up with your studies... and help you keep Hermione away from them every once in awhile."  
  
After giving Harry a warm hug, Mrs. Weasley stepped back over to her daughter. Bill and Charlie took their turns saying good-bye to their brothers, sister, and friends. As Charlie gave Hermione a hug, Harry heard Ron make a low growling noise in his throat. Charlie must have heard it too, because he pulled away from the young girl and gave his brother an amused smile. "Ron . . .something wrong with your throat?" he asked in obvious non sincerity.  
  
Ron gave him a withering look which just caused Charlie to laugh loudly. The sound echoed oddly across the platform, causing people to glance over. That didn't seem to bother Charlie as he pulled his little brother into a bear hug. "I'm going to miss picking on you, little brother," he said warmly.  
  
The hostile look on Ron's face immediately melted into an embarrassed grin as he hugged his brother back. "Well, I won't miss being picked on . . . but I'll miss you, Charlie."  
  
Fred came up to the two brothers, while George had moved over next to Hermione. With a grin of mischief, Fred stated, "We'll be more then happy to fill your shoes, Charlie."  
  
George swung his arm up lazily over Hermione's shoulders as he added, "Oh yes. It will be our pleasure." Charlie laughed again as Ron scowled at the twins. Hermione just gave George a rather perplexed look.  
  
Harry watched the whole scene with a small smile. The family affection was both amazing and painful for him to watch. a slight movement next to him made Harry glance to his right. Ginny, standing next to her mother, was also watching her brothers tease and joke. But, unlike the others, she was not smiling. Instead, she wore a somber expression on her pretty face as she glanced from each boy to the next.  
  
Without warning, she looked over at Harry. He blinked and felt his face go flush at being caught watching her. He hadn't meant to stare at her, but the sadness in her eyes made it nearly impossible for him to look away.  
  
After the good-byes were all made and the school trunks were stored on board, the six teenagers boarded the train. They leaned out the windows so they could prolong their departure as much as possible. Even as the train began to pull away from the station, the children stared out at their loved ones. No one said it, but they were all thinking it. They had to wonder if this would be the last time they would see many of those they were leaving behind.  
  
Fred and George left the younger four almost immediately. They had only stayed long enough to see them safely to an empty compartment, then took off to see who else was on board. Harry sat down next the window and watched as the landscape swiftly rushed by. He was dimly aware of Ron sitting down across from him and Hermione next to Ron. "Where do you think You're going?" Ron suddenly blurted out, causing Harry to look.  
  
Ginny was standing in the doorway, looking as if she wasn't sure if she should come in or not. She must have taken a step towards not joining them to make Ron ask his question. "I was going to find some fourth years. I'll get out of your hair that way," she said, her voice fairly void of emotion."  
  
Ron immediately began to say, "You can't..." when Hermione stopped him by placing her hand on his arm. The brown haired girl then smiled at Ginny as she gently said, "If you'd like, I'll go with you to look for some of your classmates; but why don't we wait for a little while. Let everyone get settled in, then we'll go see who all's here."  
  
Looking a bit confused, Ginny shrugged as she murmured, "All right. I can wait." Somewhat timidly, she sat down on the seat next to Harry.  
  
The silence in the compartment was beginning to get tense and uncomfortable. To try to ease things, Hermione said, "I wonder who we'll have for Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."  
  
Ron, eager to eleviate the strange silence, replied quickly, "It would be great if it were Professor Lupin again."  
  
Harry shook his head as he commented, "It won't be him. He's out in the field."  
  
Ron muttered, "Oh yeah, that's right," and then everyone fell silent again.  
  
After a few minutes, Hermione looked at Ron and asked, "By the way . . . what was all that with your brothers back at the station? Why in the world did George put his arm around me? I swear, if I knew that I wouldn't get in trouble, I seriously thought of hexing him."  
  
Ron's ears were once again a deep red as he laughed. "Who knows what possesses George and Fred to do anything that they do. But . . . I would have enjoyed seeing them get hexed. What would you have done? Warts? Jelly arms?"  
  
Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully for a second, then said, "I'm not sure. Maybe I could have just broken his arm."  
  
Shaking his head with near excitement, Ron said, "Oh . . . I know what you could have done. You could have de-boned him." The redhead glanced across at Harry as he added, "Your pal, Lockhart, could have shown you how. He seemed to be quite good at doing that particular spell."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes at the memory. To his surprise . . . or dismay, as Harry wasn't sure which, both Ron and Hermione spent the next half hour going back and forth with ideas of how she could have hexed the twins. What wasn't a surprise to Harry was how quickly this playful conversation turned into a full force bickering session. Granted, Ron started it by making a comment about how interesting it was that Hermione hadn't had any desire to hex Charlie when he'd put his arm around her earlier. This lead to his thoughts for why that was. Which, of course, Hermione had to counter or say something to which Ron would go off on another tangent. With a sigh, Harry glanced next to him at Ginny and caught her eye. The smile they shared was somewhat wry.  
  
"I told you it was them," a voice suddenly stated from the doorway to the compartment. All four students looked up to see two boys standing in the doorway. "Seamus . . . Dean," Hermione exclaimed, smiling at them. "Oh do come in and join us."  
  
Without hesitation, they both entered. Seamus sat down next the Hermione, while Dean sat on the other side of Ginny. Glancing around Hermione, Ron said, "It's good to see you two. How were your summer holidays?"  
  
The two boys exchanged looks before Seamus said, "They were . . . interesting. My mum and dad ended up having to go into hiding. I spent most of the summer with Dean's family." Ron and Hermione gave the boy a sympathetic look. Harry couldn't help himself from sighing as he turned to look out the window.  
  
Even though he didn't join in, Harry listened as Dean and Seamus gave a report of who all was missing or had been killed. Of those missing, there was some speculation on which people might have actually joined with the other side. As they went on and on about it all, Harry felt his stomach growing increasingly knotted.  
  
"Oh," Dean was saying at one point, "Did you hear what happened to the Changs?"  
  
Immediately, Harry turned to his school mates as he said sharply, "Cho Chang?" Dean nodded, then went on to tell the story. Cho's family lived in a wizarding community in Asia. One night, there had been an attack on the community. Some Muggle born wizards and witches had been killed. And a few wizarding families had disappeared. The Chang family had been one of them. Harry's stomach tightened to the point of nausea as he listened to Dean talk. He was dreading what he was sure he was going to hear, but he felt compelled to listen.  
  
Seamus interrupted Dean's dramatic description of the condition one of the missing families had been found in. "But that's Not what happened to the Changs," the boy stated, eyeing Harry carefully. "They all showed up two days later in perfect health. Apparently, Cho's grandfather somehow managed to port key them all to safety. I never heard why, but for some odd reason, they had been unable to port key back. So, they all went to one of the safety zones. They were all very lucky. It's rare for any attacked families to actually escape."  
  
Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny all glanced at each other. "Er, Seamus? . . . Dean?" Ron asked hesitantly, "Had you heard about the attack on the Burrow . . . on my family?" Both boys shook their heads as they looked at their friend with wide-eyes. With a deep breath, Ron proceeded to tell them all about their escape and how Percy hadn't made it.  
  
Harry glanced over at the petite girl sitting next to him. The distant, haunted gaze in her eyes worried him. Although he knew that it was perfectly normal for Ginny not to talk much around him, he still felt as if something were dreadfully wrong.  
  
The conversation seemed to die down for a moment until Ron suddenly began to chuckle. Everyone glanced at him with curiosity . . . and some concern. He waved them off as he explained, "I keep thinking about that time a couple of years ago when Fred and George turned Percy's Prefect badge into saying 'Perfect Big Head' instead. He went for a week without noticing it."  
  
Seamus nodded with a sly grin. "Or how about the time we all took turns making his reading glasses fly off his face. He never could figure out who was doing it."  
  
Dean snorted as he commented, "Yeah, so he just punished everyone, just to be sure. I missed out on a sale at the Stone Shop because of that."  
  
Hermione shook her head with disapproval as she stated, "It seems to me that you all deserved that punishment. You all pestered Percy so much that it's a wonder we got to go to Hogsmeade at all." All of the boys looked at the girl, then at each other as they began to chuckle.  
  
  
For the next hour, they brought up every single trick and joke that they could remember having been played on poor Percy. I wasn't long before the train compartment was filled with laughter. Even Ginny gave a slight smile at one point.  
  
It seemed that things were lightening up when Ginny suddenly looked around at everyone, wide-eyed, and then jumped to her feet and fled. For a second, no one moved or said anything. Then Ron blurted out, "What just happened? Why'd Ginny run off? . . . I thought . . . she had been laughing too, hadn't she?"  
  
Hermione laid a hand gently on his arm as she said, "She'd smiled a bit, that's all. But, I think that's why she got upset." Ron looked at her with obvious confusion, so she continued. "She told me that she feels guilty for feeling . . . good . . . or happy about anything. Because of Percy."  
  
Ron stood up. "I'd better go find her," he stated as he turned towards the door.  
  
Harry quickly rose up and stopped his friend. "Hold on, Ron," he said uneasily. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't think that Ron was the best person to talk to Ginny just then. "I'll go talk to her." Ron gave Harry a questioning look, so he added, "I know what she's going through." With a slight nod of his head, Ron stepped out of Harry's path so he could go after Ginny. Silently, trying to avoid noticing the odd looks he was getting from Seamus and Dean, Harry left the compartment.  
  
It took him a little while to find her. She had ended up in an empty compartment several cars over. When he found her, Harry suddenly realized that he had no idea what he was going to say to her. So, without a word, he entered the train compartment and sat down on the seat across from her.  
  
Ginny continued to stare out the window, her lower lip trembling slightly. Not looking at him, she said quietly, "I know what you're going to say, Harry. I'm being too hard on myself . . . Percy wouldn't want me to feel this way. I shouldn't be so upset about feeling happy or laughing . . ."  
  
  
"Wow," Harry interrupted, stopping the young girl's speech. "I sure have a lot to say." Ginny shot him a quick glance. In a serious tone, Harry went on, "It's a good thing that you knew what all I was going to say because frankly, I wasn't so sure about it myself."  
  
Making a small huffing sound, Ginny shook her head. "So, you think I'm being silly?"  
  
Immediately, Harry corrected her. "No! Not at all. Everything that you said I was going to say was definitely something that could be said right now . . . but it's not what I would have wanted to say."  
  
Ginny tilted her head as she looked questioningly at the boy sitting across from her. "What Would you have said then?" she asked.  
  
Harry shrugged, then sat for a moment thinking. "I suppose that I would have said that we can make it through this. Even though it's rough right now, we'll face all this together."  
  
For a long while, Ginny just stared at Harry; to the point that he felt himself beginning to squirm under her scrutiny. Then, softly, she laughed. The sound rather surprised Harry as he wasn't expecting to hear her do that any time soon. Glancing into Ginny's eyes, he noticed that though they were still sad, they did have the slightest sparkle to them. Ginny smiled a bit at him as she said, "I shouldn't have assumed that you would have just said something to pacify me."  
  
Harry smiled back at her. She dipped her head down just a bit as she added shyly, "You're a better friend than that." This, though he wasn't sure why, made Harry's face grow a tad warm.  
  
He sat watching her, trying to think of something to say. Until that moment, he hadn't realized how much he had begun to miss her company. The time that they had spent trying to get to the safety zone had given him the chance to get to know her a bit. He was about to say something about this when Ginny spoke again. "Do you remember when we were riding in that one man's lorry . . . and I fell asleep? When you woke me, I had been dreaming and you asked me what I had dreamt about." Harry just nodded.  
  
Ginny bit her lip as she sat thoughtfully for a moment. Not wanting to rush her, Harry sat perfectly still as he waited for her to continue. Finally, she said in a low voice, "I'd been dreaming about the attack. Only, in the dream, I didn't leave. Instead, I was down in the kitchen with my dad and brothers."  
  
She paused again, looking as if she was unsure whether she wanted to continue or not. In a shaky voice, she started again. "Riddle was there. He was coming straight for me . . . and he was saying something that I couldn't hear. I wanted to run, but I couldn't. It was like I was frozen."  
  
Harry leaned forward just a bit as Ginny continued to tell him her dream. "Riddle was almost to me when suddenly Percy stepped in front of me. He told Riddle that the hunt was off . . . that he wouldn't find his prey today. Riddle just laughed. Then he threw the unforgivable curse at Percy. Everything turned this bright green. When the green light faded, I found myself standing next to Percy on the outer edge of the Forbidden Forest. Percy told me that it was time for him to go. He started to go into the forest, but he yelled back to me that I should stand firm and stay strong. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder . . . that's when I woke up."  
  
Giving Ginny a look of sympathy, Harry said, "No wonder you looked so upset when you woke up. I know what it's like to have nightmares."  
  
Ginny looked thankfully at him as she said, "Yeah, I imagine that you do. I was so relieved that it was just a dream that I didn't want to even think about it. But now . . ."  
  
Harry peered close at the girl, then asked, "But now what?" A loose strand of red hair fell into Ginny's face as she shrugged. Noticing that her hand was shaking as she tucked the errant hair behind her ear, Harry boldly answered for her. "You don't think it was just a dream, . . . do you."  
  
A soft sigh escaped Ginny's lips before she replied, "I'm not sure, Harry. I mean, why was it Percy in my dream? Why not one of my other brothers?" She leaned forward slightly, gazing up at Harry intensely. "What if it wasn't a dream? What if it was a message . . . from Percy?"  
  
Unable to keep eye contact with Ginny's deep, brown eyes looking so imploringly at him, Harry glanced out the window. He shook his head slightly, as if trying to shake out the right thoughts. "If it was a message from Percy, then what was he trying to tell you?" Harry looked back over at Ginny to find her still watching him closely.  
  
"I don't know," she finally answered after a moment's thought. "Maybe it was just him saying good-bye to me; making sure that I knew how serious things are and reminding me to be careful."  
  
Harry considered that, nodding silently. But then a thought crossed his mind. "What about the first part of the dream? You said that Voldemort was saying something to you. Was it actually to you or was he just talking and moving in your direction at the same time?"  
  
Again, Ginny paused to think about the dream. a small frown appeared on her pretty face as she said slowly, "He was coming towards me . . . not just in my direction, but as if . . . as if I were the only one he could see. In fact, he walked right by everyone else and they didn't seem to notice him . . . like they didn't seem to notice me. It was if we were both there and yet, not there. When Percy stepped in front of me, something seemed to change. It was kind of like a glass wall or something was suddenly between Riddle and I. I knew that he couldn't reach me." She stopped, gave Harry a helpless __expression, and then sighed heavily. "That doesn't make much sense, does it?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "Sometimes dreams don't . . . at least, not right away. It won't hurt, however, to just check into it a little. You may want to tell Professor Dumbledore about it. He's a good person to tell dreams to."  
  
Ginny smiled shyly as she said quickly, "So are you, Harry. Thanks for listening."  
  
Feeling the heat rising in his face, Harry glanced away with embarrassment. Still, he couldn't seem to stop himself from smiling foolishly at the compliment.  
  
"Well, well, well . . . how cozy," a voice said smugly from the compartment doorway.  
  
Looking over, Harry found Draco Malfoy and his croonies, Goyle and Crabbe, blocking the entrance. With a deep scowl, Harry said, "Go away, Malfoy. You're not wanted here."  
  
The smug looking blonde boy strolled casually into the compartment anyway. He sneered at Harry, then turned his attention to Ginny. "I see that you took some of my advice, Weaslette. Those robes are much better than any of your previous ones. Of course, that's to be expected since these are new robes and not used ones."  
  
Ginny just eyed the boy coolly, as if he were making a comment on the weather. Harry, however, could feel the anger starting to build up in him. Cautiously, he began to reach for his wand.  
  
Whether Malfoy noticed or not, couldn't be seen. He continued to give Ginny all his attention. As he moved slowly across the compartment towards her, his __expression was one of lewd amusement.  
  
Harry heard a gasp of sorts from behind him and turned to look at Ginny. She had paled slightly as she glared at the approaching boy. Although she looked to Harry to be staring defiantly at Malfoy, he couldn't help but notice that there was a glint of terror in her brown eyes. A haunted sort of terror.  
  
This only angered Harry more. His ears seemed to be ringing loud enough that he almost didn't hear Malfoy say, "All you need now is a new hair color . . . and a different last name. The hair can be done any time, so you must be working on the last name part. Although, I really wasn't thinking of Potty when I had said that. He must be paying you well, though, if you can afford . . ."  
  
Malfoy didn't get to finish as Harry had jumped up at his last words, his wand poised for action. Looking a little less amused, Malfoy asked, "What's the matter, Potty? Did I touch a nerve?" Harry noticed at that moment that Malfoy was tapping his own wand against his leg. Crabbe and Goyle loomed at either side of their boss, glaring menacingly at Harry.  
  
"Go away, Malfoy," Ginny said quietly, in a tone as if she were shooing away a fly. Glancing back at her, Harry was glad to see that she too had her wand out. He also noticed that though her voiced seemed soft, the glare in her eyes was not.  
  
Malfoy chuckled, regaining Harry's attention. "I'm not really ready to," the Slytherin said in reply. He took a step towards Ginny only to find himself immediately face to face with Harry.   
  
In an almost growl, Harry said, "She told you to go away. If you've got any brains at all, Malfoy, you'll do just that."  
  
Malfoy leaned just a bit towards Harry as he said in an equally low tone, "Or what? You gonna hex me, Potter? Maybe throw a curse or two at me?" The blonde boy paused for a second, then a cruel smile formed on his lips. "Is that what happened to Diggory? Did he try to get past you to get the trophy? So you threw a curse at him . . . an unforgivable curse."  
  
Without warning, Malfoy suddenly was thrown backwards and out of the compartment door. A split instant later, Harry found himself standing behind a fuming redhead. Ginny was so angry that she appeared to be having problems breathing. "You are such a stupid git, Malfoy. You have really sunk yourself to a new low this time. I didn't even think that was possible, but, boy, you have proven me wrong. How Dare you speak to Harry like that! How Dare you even Suggest that he'd do anything of the sort. He's good . . . and brave . . . caring. He's everything that You're Not! . . . nor will you Ever be!"  
  
Clumsily, Malfoy got to his feet as he hooted with laughter. "I've got to hand it to you, Potter . . . you sure have her trained well." Harry raised his wand only to have his hand grabbed by Goyle. The large boy held firmly to Harry's wrist as Malfoy went on. "Look at how far she's come. Sprouting off angry words where once she had only poetry."  
  
A forced dreamy look crossed the Slytherin's face as he began to say in a sing-song voice, "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad; his hair is as dark as a blackboard. I think he's divine, I wish he were mind, the hero who conquered the Dark Lord."  
  
Silence filled the train compartment as Malfoy glared triumphantly at Harry. Then, to everyone's surprise, a soft giggle disrupted the silence. Harry looked over a Ginny, who was now standing next to him, and was shocked to find the sound coming from her. She had her hand over her mouth as if trying to hold it back. But she couldn't seem to. And seeing that Harry was now looking at her with bewilderment didn't help. Slowly, the giggles began to pour out, becoming stronger by the second. All four boys were starting to look as if Ginny had snapped. With great effort, she finally managed to say to Harry, "I always wondered who wrote that for you."  
  
Raising an eyebrow at her, Harry continued to watch her giggling gleefully. He couldn't help but find the corners of his own mouth start to twitch slightly. Something about Ginny's laugh made all the anger and tension drain away. He glanced back at Malfoy and had to laugh at the look of complete confusion and dismay on his face.  
  
As he tried to keep a straight face, Harry said in a false shocked voice, "Draco! . . . I had no idea! I knew that Ginny didn't write that and I've always wondered about who wrote it too . . . why didn't you just Tell me how you felt?"  
  
At this, Ginny collapsed on the seat in a fit of laughter. Crabbe and Goyle were glancing from her to their boss with _expressions of utmost confusion. But Malfoy's look of disgust was positively priceless. "What do you Mean she didn't write that," Malfoy snarled. "Of course she wrote it."  
  
Pulling herself up, Ginny shook her head as she stated in a tone still very full of mirth, "No Malfoy, I didn't write that. In fact, I don't even think that I could recite it. You, however, seem to be able to recite it quite well. Makes one wonder."  
  
Malfoy moved aggressively towards her again, but stopped when she raised her wand. He stared at her for a moment intensely, then suddenly his __expression lightened up. "You are quite intriguing . . . for a Weaslette," Malfoy said as he motioned to Crabbe and Goyle that they were leaving. He backed up out the compartment door, flickering his gaze back and forth between Harry and Ginny. With a smug grin, he said coolly to Ginny, I still think that you're salvageable . . . but not with Potty's help. Let me know if you come to your senses and want some real help becoming a true, respectable witch."  
  
Harry stepped forward as if to go after Malfoy, but Ginny jumped up from her seat and placed her hand gently on his arm to hold him back. "Let him go," she said softly. As soon as Malfoy was out of sight, she dropped her hand. In a few long strides, Harry crossed the compartment and stood in the doorway. He glanced out in the direction Malfoy had gone, the whole time muttering unaware a string of unseemly comments.  
  
"Harry!" a voice exclaimed from behind him in the train walkway. He turned to find Fred and George standing there. With feigned horror, George said, "Watch your language. I don't believe that our delicate ears can handle such profanity." Harry glared at the boy unamused.  
  
Fred had moved more into the doorway and looked inside. For the briefest moment, his amused grin faltered as he glanced at his little sister and then back at Harry. Raising an eyebrow, he stated, "This isn't where we left you. How come you're not with the others?"  
  
Harry was a little surprised by the boy's question. It wasn't like Fred to speak so seriously. From inside the compartment, Ginny said, "I needed to take a walk. Harry came with me."  
  
George made an _expression identical to his brother's as he asked, "And just why were you speaking so colorfully a moment ago, Harry?"  
  
It was at that point that Harry noticed that the twins seemed a bit bothered at finding him alone with their little sister. He wasn't sure why, but this irritated him almost as much as Malfoy had. In a surly tone, he replied, "Just a few parting words for a dear friend of ours. I was fortunate to have found Ginny before he had."  
  
Alarm filled the twins' faces as Fred exclaimed, "Who? . . . Malfoy?" Harry nodded. Going on, Fred asked, "What do you mean by you Found Ginny before Malfoy? Was she lost? I thought she'd just said that the two of you had been going for a walk."  
  
Her brother's tone must have been irritating Ginny too, for she said with obvious annoyance, "SHE is right here, you prat . . . and SHE can answer these questions just as well as Harry. If you Have to know, I walked out on the others by myself. Harry came after me . . . so I wouldn't be alone. If he hadn't then I would have had to face Malfoy and his goons on my own . . . Which I would have been okay doing."  
  
Fred and George stared at their sister with incredulous expressions. "What the bloody hell were you thinking, Ginny," George finally blurted out. This outburst from the normally happy-go-lucky boy startled Harry, but apparently not Ginny.  
  
With eyes blazing with anger, she replied back hotly, "What I was Thinking is None of Your business, George! I needed some space, so I got it! No harm in that, is there?"  
  
"None except if you run into the sons of some commonly known Death Eaters," Fred said coolly. "I wouldn't put it pass that slimy git to attack any one of us if we were alone. That was just a really stupid thing to do, Ginny. You can't run off on your own . . . probably not even once we get to Hogwarts. As long as there are Slytherins around, we need to watch our backs."  
  
Ginny didn't really seem very happy with what her brother had just said, but she also couldn't argue against it. With a heavy sigh, she slowly nodded her head as she said quietly, "Yeah . . . I know. I'll be more careful."  
  
Fred looked sternly at his sister for a moment more, then broke out into an impish grin. "Maybe we should assign you a personal body guard." His gaze drifted over to Harry as he added, "Perhaps Harry here would be interested."  
  
George, also grinning now, cut in, "Yes, yes . . . but then, dear brother, who would guard our sweet little sister from the famous Harry Potter?" Fred nodded, making a face as if he were trying to consider that thought.  
  
Ginny gave her brothers a dirty glare as her face turned scarlet red. Without a word, she pushed past them and stomped out of the compartment.  
  
The twins chuckled lightly as they turned to follow their distraught sister. Harry, who was glad that no one seemed to notice his own red face, silently walked behind them. George glanced back, then nudged his brother with his elbow. Fred gave George a look, then following the boy's motioning, turned to look back at Harry too. In a tone that was unreadable, he said, "Thanks for watching out for her." He paused only briefly before adding, "I'm glad that your intentions were honorable. I do hate having to throw curses at a friend."  
  
With a wry look, Harry responded dryly, "I'm sure that I would have felt the same about throwing some back." Quickening his steps, Harry nudged his way past the two boys and hastened after Ginny.  
  
He found her inside the train compartment where they had left Ron and Hermione. She was in the process of giving someone a hug when Harry walked in. As she stepped back, he saw that it was Collin Creevy. The younger boy looked up and said enthusiastically, "Harry! It's so good to see you!" He moved only slightly away from Ginny as he stuck out his hand towards Harry.  
  
Not even thinking about it, Harry reached out and shook hands with the boy. In an overly excited voice, Collin went on to say, "I was just telling the others about how much I've missed everyone. I didn't get to see anyone over the summer . . . except my brother and little sister . . . and, of course, my parents. But I didn't keep contact with anyone else. We thought it would be safer that way. Now that Dennis and I are heading back to school, my parents will probably take Elisha to visit relatives or something . . . you know . . . until things settle down."  
  
It was obvious that even though many things were different now that Voldemort had returned, some things . . . or some people, at least, never changed. Collin was still as animated and talkative as ever.  
  
From where she sat, Hermione said, "I didn't know that you have a little sister. How old is she?"  
  
Collin leaned against a small bit of the room's wall, allowing Ginny and Harry to move past him. As they sat down next to Dean, who had moved next to the window, Collin said, "She's five. But she acts like she's a teenager at times. I never knew that girls could talk so rudely. If she doesn't get her way or is just mad, she just screeches about it until everything changes to what she wants."  
  
"Oh, that's just the way girls are," George said, appearing in the doorway. "You better get used to it because it only gets worse the older they get." Ginny glared openly at her brothers, who were all chuckling.  
  
Hermione didn't seem too pleased with George's assessment of females as she said, "Just as boys only get more childish and dense the older they get, hmm?" Next to him, Harry saw Ginny grin smuggly and nod her head.  
  
The twins took on matching expressions of deep hurt as Fred said, "Hermione, dear, I am most positive that George was not referring to such a remarkable woman as yourself. You are above all the normal everyday females. Unlike them, you are an absolute delight to us males."  
  
Ron snorted at that, gaining himself a stony glare from the brown hair girl sitting next to him. Wisely, he choose to not make a comment, but to turn his attention to looking out the window. Hermione didn't look at all appeased by Fred's explanation. And Ginny was still glaring in turns at each of her brothers. Wanting to try to steer the conversation to a new topic, Harry looked at Collin and asked, "Does your sister show signs of magic too?"  
  
Collin's smile faded a bit. "Not yet. Mum and Dad aren't sure if that's good or bad. No matter what, she'll be in danger just as all Muggles and Muggle-borns are. But I'd prefer she have the means to protect herself. She may be a brat . . . but she's still my little sister and I love her." Fred, George, and Ron all looked over at Ginny as they nodded in understanding. The look on Ginny's face softened considerably.  
  
Even though the compartment was rather crowded, no one wanted to leave or have anyone leave. It was a comfort having so many friends around. They spent the next couple of hours talking about school and Quidditch. When the witch pushing the food trolley rolled by, Harry insisted in treating everyone to pumpkin juice and cauldron cakes. They all got some extra goodies to nibble on for the remainder of the trip.  
  
Collin had sat down next to Harry, which pushed Harry closer to Ginny. She, in turn, ended up squashed between Harry and Dean. Across from them sat Fred, Seamus, Hermione, and Ron . . . equally squashed together. George, having no where else to sit, was sprawled out comfortably on the floor.  
  
Now with a full tummy and extremely warm from the close proximity, Harry's eyelids began to feel heavy. Next to him, Collin chatted away to no one in particular. Glancing across at Ron, Harry broke out into a grin. Hermione had fallen asleep and was now resting her head against the redhead's shoulder. Ron had a look on his face that appeared to be both tender and terrified at the same time. Fred and George looked as if they were just longing to comment on their younger brother's situation. However, Ron caught their looks and shot back a very expressive warning with his eyes. Harry was surprised when the twins just grinned mischievously, but remained silent.  
  
Ginny shifted around next to him, making Harry look her way. He could tell that she seemed to be uncomfortable sitting so close to Dean. In fact, he was almost sure that she wasn't' even aware that while there was a tiny bit of space between her and the boy by the window, there was absolutely none between her and Harry. Not that he minded. It was actually rather pleasant being so close to someone. And to Harry's surprise, he realized that having that someone be Ginny made it even nicer.  
  
With a light sigh, Ginny shifted around again. Her head seemed to be getting heavy, as were her eyelids. Harry wondered if it would be at all proper for him to let her lean against his shoulder as Hermione was against Ron's. But, being too shy to ask, he just sat there listening to Collin prattle on and watching Ginny try to stay awake.  
  
The remainder of the journey seemed to go by in a daze for all of them that had stayed awake. By the end, that was only Harry, Ginny, and Fred. Ron had ended up falling asleep with his head leaning against Hermione's.  
  
Collin had very quietly snapped a picture of them before he too was lulled off to sleep. To Harry's dismay, the younger boy's head had flopped down onto his shoulder. Ginny, looking around Harry at the sleeping Collin, giggled lightly.  
  
When the train pulled into the station, everyone began to awaken. Both Ron and Hermione were blushing brightly when they realized how they had been sitting. To make matters worse, Collin reassured them that he'd make plenty of copies of the picture he'd taken of them so they each could have one. Of course, George and Fred said they wanted a copy as well.  
  
The group of them headed off the train and onto the platform. There to meet them was Professor McGonnagall. As soon as the woman spotted Hermione, she came over. "Oh Good! I'm very happy to see you here, Ms. Granger. I was hoping to have a couple of Prefects around to help things run smoothly." She handed Hermione a silver badge as she stated, "At least I'll have one responsible student to help me in that area." With that said, the older woman walked off to speak to another group of students.  
  
Immediately, Ron turned on Hermione and demanded, "You're a Prefect?!" The girl nodded silently. His voice filled with incredibility, he asked, "And just when were you going to get around to telling the rest of us?"  
  
George patted his younger brother on the back as he commented, "Actually, most of us knew about it."  
  
Ron stared open mouth at the twins, who were grinning impishly at him. He glanced at Ginny, who had taken an interest in the clasps of her school robes. Finally, he looked at Harry. Accusingly, Ron asked, "Did you know Too?"  
  
Harry glanced back and forth between Ron and Hermione, a bit nervous about answering that. He didn't have to, though, because Ron whipped around to glare down at Hermione as he said in a low tone, "I guess I'm the only one you didn't consider important enough to tell. And here I thought we were best friends." That said, he whirled around and stormed away.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione called after him, but he didn't even pause. Seamus and Dean gave the girl an odd look, then took off after their friend. Harry wanted to follow, but didn't think that Ron would want to talk to him just yet.  
  
Fred coyly put his arm around Ginny as he said, "You can ride with us, Ginny." Ginny looked as if she was going to protest, but her brother gave her a look as if relaying some kind of message.   
  
"Okay," Ginny muttered, still a bit apprehensive. She turned to look in the direction of Harry and Hermione.  
  
Just as she started to open her mouth to say something to them, George interrupted. "Why don't you ride with us too, Collin. I must admit that your photography skills might be useful in the course of the year." Collin happily followed the twins and Ginny to the nearby carriages. As Ginny was led away she gave her two friends an apologetic look.  
  
Harry glanced down at Hermione to find her frowning deeply. She looked up, her eyes a bit watery, and said, "You going to leave me too?"  
  
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he stated firmly, "Of course not . . . I need your help studying too much." He flashed her a grin which immediately brought a small smile to Hermione's face. "Come on," he went on, "Let's go find ourselves a carriage."  
  
To Be Continued... 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9   
  
  
It took a couple days, but eventually Ron got over being upset about Hermione's Prefect status. In fact, after the twins pointed out to him that there'd be quite a few benefits being friends with a Prefect, he seemed almost delighted. Hermione appeared to be unsure whether she should be pleased with his change of attitude or irritated. Still, it was much nicer having everyone back on speaking terms.   
  
It was strange being at school so early. When they had arrived, there were already a handful of students moved in. Daily, it seemed that more and more students would arrive to get settled in for the school year. Professor McGonagall's _expression got bleaker each day as she tried to keep everything and everyone in order. Most of the teachers hadn't arrived yet, so she was pretty much on her own.   
  
One day while Hermione was helping Professor McGonagall keep a group of second years out of trouble, Ron and Harry decided to head out to the Quidditch pitch to practice. As the position for Keeper was open for the Gryffindor team, Ron was working tirelessly at perfecting his skills so he could get the spot. The boys were just coming onto the field when they heard angry voices echoing around them. It took them a minute to locate the speakers . . . although, they'd both immediately recognized the one voice as being Malfoy.   
  
"Listen her," the blonde boy was saying to someone blocked from view. "I'm a Prefect, which means that you have to do what I tell you."   
  
A female voice replied hotly, "Like bloody hell I do!" Ron and Harry only glanced at each other for a second before they both rushed over to where the others were standing.   
  
As soon as they were close enough, they could see the owner of the female voice, which they'd already recognized. Loudly, Ron asked, "Is anything wrong here, Ginny?"   
  
Malfoy whirled around and glared at the approaching boys. "Bug off," he said shortly, "This is neither of yours' business."   
  
But Ron already moved over next to Ginny as he replied, "If it's got to do with my sister, then it Is my business." He glanced down at Ginny and asked, "What's going on here? Is he threatening you?"   
  
Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy all began to laugh at that. Ginny, however, didn't look at all amused. "No, Ron . . . he isn't threatening me. Malfoy here was just telling me that the only students that can use the pitch are house Quidditch team players. All other students are forbidden to even just fly around down here."   
  
Smirking, Malfoy added, "I was telling the little Weaslette that she needed to leave."   
  
In an icy tone, Ginny shot back, "And I was telling Ferretface that I have as much right to fly down here as any other student."   
  
Harry gawked at the girl standing there arguing with Malfoy. He found it hard to believe that she was the same shy little Ginny that blushed and dropped things around him. Of course, he'd already noticed that she had got over being clumsy around him. And she'd become more talkative and open with him too. But he wasn't at all used to this fiery girl's display of anger.   
  
  
Malfoy seemed to be amused by it though. "If you dare leave the ground, I'll take off twenty points from Gryffindor just like that." And he snapped his fingers to prove his point.   
  
"You can't do that," Ginny argued.   
  
Moving right up to her face, Malfoy said back coolly, "You want to bet?   
  
Ginny looked about ready to explode. In a quiet voice, Harry said, "She's right, Malfoy . . . you can't do that. The rule is that there is to be no flying down at the pitch after sunset unless for official team practice. And that has to be okayed by Professor McGonagall. Otherwise, the pitch is open to anyone with a broom."   
  
Turning his glare onto Harry, Malfoy exclaimed, "How would You know what the rules are, Potty? You're not a Prefect!"   
  
Harry just shrugged, not at all bothered by that fact. In the same quiet tone as he'd used before, he said, "No, I'm not. But Hermione is. She knows every single rule forewords and backwards. And she enjoys listing them out for us too."   
  
"Well, personally, I wouldn't trust a Mudblood to know anything," Malfoy stated in a smug tone.   
  
That, of course, was a huge mistake. Ron had whipped out his wand and was getting ready to fling the first curse that came to his mind at the Slytherin. Both Harry and Ginny managed to grab him, even as Crabbe and Goyle moved to protect Malfoy. Sputtering with anger, Ron said, "You better watch your mouth, Malfoy ..."   
  
Laughing, Malfoy asked, "Or what?" His _expression became more serious as he stated calmly, "I'm not the one who's in any danger. Potty is, of course, because he's 'the boy who lived'. And that Mudblood girlfriend of yours is. For that matter, you and your whole weasel family better watch their backs . . . except Percy, of course. It's a bit too late for him ..."   
  
That was a step too far. Harry and Ginny both dropped their hold on Ron as they went for their wands. All three in unison began to throw curses at the blonde boy. To their amazement, Crabbe and Goyle countered the curses without blinking an eye. From behind them, Malfoy just laughed. "You'll have to do better than that. As you can see, we've been training during the holiday."   
  
  
Unable to do anything else, Harry dropped his wand arm down to his side. Ginny did the same a moment later. Ron, however, was clutching his wand tightly as he glared viciously at Malfoy. The Slytherin must have felt secure behind his two large friends, for he turned his attention once again on Ginny. In a pompous tone, he said, "Potty did say one thing right. The pitch is open to anyone with a broom. I don't see yours, Weaslette . . . could it be that you don't have one?"   
  
Through clenched teeth, Ginny replied, "I was going to use one of the school's brooms."   
  
Malfoy gave an overly dramatic sigh, then said, "I'm afraid that won't be possible. The storage shed is locked and only the Prefects know the password. I might have been willing to help you out earlier, but . . . after your recent behavior, I just don't feel that it would be right. So, since you don't have a broom, then you have no reason to be here." He paused as if realizing something suddenly, then smiled. In a voice dripping with sarcasm, he said, "If you would like, however, I'd be more than happy to escort you back up to the castle."   
  
"She's not going anywhere with you, Malfoy," Ron snarled. He glanced at his broom, then looked up smugly. "If all she needs is a broom, then . . . here . . . we can share, Ginny." He held out the broom to his sister, bringing a bright smile to her face. Ginny mounted the broom, gave Malfoy a look of contempt, then kicked off of the ground to soar off into the sky above.   
  
The boys below watched her fly swiftly and smoothly around the pitch for a moment. Then, knowing that he'd been beaten, Malfoy turned and stalked off. A second later, Crabbe and Goyle followed. As soon as they were out of earshot, Ron let out a string of some particularly offensive obscenities. Harry just stood there, silently agreeing with every word his best friend uttered.   
  
When Ron finally calmed down, he glanced up at the sky at his sister and sighed. "Oh well . . . I'm sure I'll get a chance to practice some other time."   
  
Harry looked at him questioningly, then peered down at his Firebolt. It only took him a moment to decide, before he thrust the broom out at Ron as he said, "Why don't you use mine? I can watch you from down here and let you know how you're doing."   
  
Ron gave Harry a look of complete astonishment, then grinned widely. As he took the Firebolt from his friend, Ron said excitedly, "Thanks mate! This will be great!" He didn't wait a second more, but jumped onto the broom and took off into the air above. Soon, Harry was watching as, laughingly, Ron and Ginny chased each other around the sky.   
  
So caught up in watching the red haired siblings, Harry lost track of time. He jumped with surprise when a voice suddenly said behind him. "Looks like they're having fun." Turning, he smiled and nodded at Hermione, who'd just come up from the school. She cocked her head to one side as she asked, "So how come your not up there too?"   
  
Making a face of disgust, Harry said, "Because of Malfoy."   
  
Hermione glanced around quickly. "Malfoy? Where?"   
  
"He's not here now," Harry replied. "But he was earlier. He was giving Ginny a rough time because she wanted to do some flying. He had the nerve to tell her that the pitch was only open to house Quidditch team members."   
  
Hermione interrupted, "Well, that is true . . . but only after sunset. During daylight hours, anyone can come down and use the pitch."   
  
Nodding, Harry went on, "That's what we told him. So then he decided that you can only be down here if you've got a broom. Ginny, of course, didn't have one . . ."   
  
Interrupting again, Hermione stated, "Well, that shouldn't have been a problem. She could just use one of the school's brooms. They're just in the storage shed across the field."   
  
"I know, I know. But the shed's locked by password, and only Prefects know what it is. Malfoy, being a true git, refused to open it for her."   
  
"Why that slimy little prat," Hermione exclaimed, causing Harry to grin. "I think that I may just have to speak to Professor McGonegall about this." She paused as she glanced up at the sky. "I'm surprised Malfoy didn't try to make you leave since you don't have a broom now."   
  
Harry chuckled, "He didn't hang around long enough to find out that I was to become broomless. Just to spite Malfoy, Ron told him that he and Ginny were sharing his broom. Malfoy was truly peeved when Ron handed Gin the broom and she took off."   
  
Hermione's _expression was somewhat proud and impressed as she followed Ron on the Firebolt with her eyes. "Good for them," she muttered. "That was a very mature way for you three to handle things. See . . . you didn't have to resort to physical threats or curses."   
  
Harry's face immediately flushed as he glanced away guiltily. With a light groan, Hermione said, "Don't tell me. You guys did those things earlier." Nodding, Harry continued to look away. "Oh Harry . . . when will you boys learn . . ."   
  
"Learn what?" Ron asked as he landed smoothly in front of them.   
  
Hermione gave him a disapproving look as she said, "Learn that curses and threats and physical violence just aren't the way to deal with Malfoy."   
  
All Ron could say to that was, "Oh."   
  
Sighing, Hermione said, "Well, I'm here now, so I can get you boys another broom."   
  
Ron got off the Firebolt and handed it back to Harry. "Here you go, Harry," he said, then turned quickly to fall in step with Hermione. In a casual tone, Ron stated, "I'll come with you, Hermione, so Harry can have his broom back."   
  
Harry was fairly certain that wasn't the real reason he'd got his broom returned so quickly to him. Grinning and shaking his head lightly, Harry got on his broomstick and kicked off. Within seconds, he had totally forgotten about Ron and Hermione as he soared through the warm afternoon air. Harry loved the thrill of flying. It was one of the few things that he could truly enjoy without worrying about Voldemort or the war that was raging throughout the wizarding world.   
  
A flash of red flew under him. Turning directions quickly, Harry found Ginny hovering behind him with a shining smile. "Hey there," she said, then zipped away again. Harry whipped his head around trying to locate her. He was totally baffled when Ginny suddenly appeared right next to him. She laughed happily at the _expression of surprise on his face.   
  
"Your flying's improved a lot," Harry stated, his voice filled with admiration.   
  
Ginny blushed lightly. Still smiling, she said, "Well it helps that I'm wide awake and my broom's not on fire."   
  
Harry grinned too. "Yeah ... that is helpful. So, I take it that you're not planning on dive bombing to the ground." Ginny made a face as she shook her head no. "Good," Harry said, "If you change your mind, though, give me fair warning ... okay?"   
  
"Sure. No problem," Ginny said with a wave of her hand. An impish grin suddenly appeared on her face as she looked at Harry and his broom for a moment.   
  
Feeling a bit awkward, Harry asked, "What? What's wrong?"   
  
Ginny continued to smile, eyes twinkling, as she replied, "Oh, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about something." Harry stayed quiet, waiting for her to go on. Finally, she told him, "You know, we never did figure out it a person could switch from one broom to another broom in mid-air."   
  
Harry gave her a startled look. "You're not suggesting that we try to find out now, are you?"   
  
Ginny just shrugged. "I would think it'd be better to try it now rather than in the midst of an emergency."   
  
He had to admit that she had a point there. Eyeing the distance to the ground, Harry said, "We should move down lower ... just in case." Nodding, Ginny nudged her broom downward and headed to the ground below. Hesitantly, Harry followed.   
  
When they got a couple of feet off the ground, Harry called out, "Let's stop here, Gin. We don't want to be too close to the ground." He glanced at his broom and then over at Ginny's. "How do you want to do this? Me onto your broom or you onto mine?"   
  
Ginny looked at her broom critically. "I think we should go with the broom that will hold the steadiest."   
  
Harry wasn't sure what she meant by that, so he asked in a bewildered tone, 'So ... your broom or mine?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he smacked himself mentally.   
  
  
Hovering, Ginny gave Harry an odd look, then began to giggle. Harry could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he stated, "That didn't come out right." He watched as Ginny continued to laugh lightly, her head bowed down as she attempted to hide her own blush. When she continued to laugh at his misphrased question, Harry began to get a tad irritated. "It wasn't That funny."   
  
Ginny glanced up at him, wiping at her eyes. "I know," she managed to say. "But I once overheard Fred and George talking about pick up lines and they both said that That line was one of the ones they hoped to get to use someday." She paused, took a deep breath, then began to giggle again. This just caused Harry to groan in dismay. She quickly tried to settle down as she said, "I'm sorry ... I'm sorry. It's just that ... George and Fred will be so proud to learn that you've got to use that line."   
  
"I did Not 'use' the line," Harry protested. "I just ... said it. That's all."   
  
Smirking, Ginny replied, "Okay ... Okay!"   
  
Harry grumbled as he asked tersely, "Are we going to try this or not?"   
  
Ginny bit her lip in response to the boy's tone. Harry noticed that she seemed to shy away from him a little even. In a soft voice, Ginny said, "We don't have to ... it was just an idea."   
  
"It's a good idea," Harry said quickly, hoping to make up for having snapped at her. Smiling gently, he added, "Why don't we start with you trying to switch over to my broom" Silently, Ginny nodded. Harry edged his broom up next to her, then said, "Okay ... see if you can swing your leg over the Firebolt."   
  
Twisting herself on her broom, Ginny tried to find the right angle to be in so she could slide off her broom and onto Harry's. First, she tried it by attempting to lift her one leg over Harry's broom as well as hers. That didn't work. She tried from the other side of Harry, but nearly fell off her broom. Shaking, yet determined, Ginny moved on her broom so that she was flying side-saddle.   
  
Inching closer, Harry watched carefully as Ginny too a deep breath as she eyed the Firebolt with total concentration. Slowly, she moved one leg up and over Harry's broom, so that her knee was bent over it. Her broom lurched a bit, pulling them both down. "Grab my robe, Gin ... and pull yourself up," Harry suggested.   
  
Ginny nodded silently, then reached up with one hand to grab on to the back of Harry's robe. In one swift, smooth move, she pushed off her broom with one hand , while pulling herself up with the other. A moment later, with Ginny safely on the broom with him, Harry watched as her broom fell to the ground.   
  
Feeling Ginny shiver lightly from behind him, Harry turned and looked back at her. "You okay, Gin?" he asked, eyeing her with concern. She nodded, but still was clinging tightly to his robe.   
  
Gently, Harry lowered them to the ground. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he turned once again to look at Ginny. She looked back at him with wide eyes as she said, "That ... was not as easy as I thought it would be."   
  
Seeing the _expression of near fright on Ginny's pretty face, Harry suddenly felt bad for having had her go first. "I'm sorry, Gin," he said sincerely. "That was dangerous. I should have been the one to try first."   
  
Ginny looked a bit surprised by his comment. For a moment, she seemed to be searching his eyes closely as if trying to read something in them. As she did, Harry found himself unable to look away ... nor did he have any desire to. Instead, he studied her eyes about as closely as she was his. He had never noticed before just how deep brown Ginny's eyes were, nor the way they held both a glint of innocence and yet a sparkle of mischief in them. Ginny blinked suddenly, then opened her mouth to speak.   
  
"What the bloody hell do you think you were doing?" sounded a voice from near by.   
  
Both Harry and Ginny broke eye contact to look over at the speaker. Ron was marching swiftly towards them with Hermione trying to keep up. "You could have got seriously hurt doing that, Ginny," Ron stated hotly. Turning on his best friend, he added, "And why did you let her do that, Harry?" What were you thinking?"   
  
Harry sighed, a bit hurt by Ron's accusatory tone. Ginny, however, was glaring at her brother. "Sod off, Ron," she said as she got off of Harry's broom. "I'm not a little girl anymore ... I can try anything that I want ... dangerous or not." Walking over to were her broom lay, Ginny placed her hand over it and commanded, "Up!" The broom instantly flew up into her awaiting hand.   
  
Ron began to open his mouth, but Hermione quickly interrupted. "We're not upset, Ginny," she said gently. "We just want to know why you two were doing something like that."   
  
Hoping to clear things up quickly, Harry answered, "We were practicing switching from on broom to another. During the attack ..." Harry paused, casting a nervous, yet concerned glance at both Ginny and Ron. Both of the Weasleys, though obviously stung at the reminder of the past incident, were watching him intently. Deciding to continue, Harry went on, "When we were flying off towards the safety zone, Gin's broom caught on fire. We had tried to do a switch over then, but weren't able to. We just thought that it might be smart to figure it out in a less dangerous situation ... just in case ..."   
  
For a moment, no one said anything. Then Ron replied, "Oh ... okay. That makes sense." Harry let out a breath he'd been holding in unaware. Ron glanced over at Hermione and grinned almost wickedly. "You know ... it would be a good idea to practice riding double on a broom ... just in case."   
  
Hermione's eyes widened as she shook her head. "Oh no ... I don't like to fly ..."   
  
"You won't have to do the flying," he stated quickly. "All you have to do is hold on ... I'll take care of the rest." Hermione didn't look at all convinced. In an exasperated voice, Ron added, "We'll just fly around the pitch a couple times. It's not as if I'm planning on doing a Wronski Feint or something."   
  
  
The look of doubt began to fade from Hermione's face as she said softly, "Well ..." Ron immediately switched expressions once more, this time to a puppy-eyed, imploring gaze. The effect was quite obvious as Hermione seemed to relax a bit as she sighed. "Oh ... all right. But just a few times and then that's it."   
  
Ron grinned broadly as he straddled the broom he was holding. Patting the stick behind him, he waggled his eyebrows at Hermione. She immediately blushed. Hesitantly she walked over and straddled the broom behind Ron. "Hold on," Ron stated as he kicked off the ground. Hermione gave a little squeal, then wrapped her arms tightly around Ron's waist. Grinning even wider, Ron flew them up and away.   
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged looks, then burst into light laughter. Jumping onto her broom, Ginny said, "Come on, Harry. It's your turn now." She kicked off and flew up a little ways to hover as she waited. Without hesitation, Harry followed her example and soon was flying level with her.   
  
"Okay, Gin," Harry said as he brought his broom close to hers. "Just concentrate on holding your broom steady." As Ginny worked on steadying her broom, Harry readjusted himself on the Firebolt. Then, very carefully, he put his leg over Ginny's broom behind her. "Oh blimey," Harry muttered, trying to keep his leg over Ginny's broom and still control the Firebolt. "This is harder than it looks."   
  
"Just do what I did," Ginny said, giving him an encouraging smile. "Push off of your broom while pulling yourself up by my robe."   
  
Despite his current position, Harry looked up at the girl with an _expression of serious doubt. "If I do that, I'll pull us both off," he stated.   
  
Ginny rolled her eyes as she looked back at him. "Oh please," she said, "I think I'm strong enough to keep That from happening."   
  
Harry continued to give her a doubtful stare, then finally sighed heavily. "Fine," he muttered, shifting himself into position. "Just don't blame me when we have to spend the night in the Hospital Wing having our bones mended."   
  
  
With that said, Harry grabbed on to the back of Ginny's robe and did what she suggested. A second later, he was safely on the broom behind Ginny watching his Firebolt fall to the ground.   
  
  
"Brilliant job, mate," Ron exclaimed as he and Hermione appeared on a broom next to them.   
  
Harry was surprised to see that Hermione was actually smiling, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Having fun?" he asked her, fairly sure what her answer would be.   
  
She nodded enthusiastically. "Flying's so much better when someone else is doing the flying. All I have to do is hold on." In front of him, Harry heard Ginny giggle at that.   
  
In a daring voice, Ron said, "How about a race? Once around the pitch. We'll see who's the fastest."   
  
Ginny glanced over her shoulder at Harry with a questioning look. A small smile formed on his face as he simply said, "Go for it!"   
  
Turning back to her brother, Ginny stated, "You're on, Ron."   
  
They moved over to one side of the pitch. In a loud voice, Hermione said, "On your mark . . . get set . . ."   
  
"GO!" Ron shouted as he took off flying.   
  
From where they hovered, Harry yelled, "Hey! That's cheating!" Even as he speaking, Ginny was working on correcting their late start. She leaned down low against the broom and urged it forward. Without any thought of what he was doing, Harry did the same until he was pressing down upon her back. "Come on, Gin," he encouraged, "We can do it!"   
  
Within seconds, they had caught up to their friends. Ron, seeing their technique, tried to imitate them. Hermione, however, refused to lean forward and was instead yelling at Ron to sit back up. Ginny and Harry had no problem swooshing past them. The stayed close enough to listen to Ron trying unsuccessfully to convince Hermione to lean down.   
  
Both Ginny and Harry looked over their shoulders to watch the argument between Ron and Hermione. Finally, Hermione just gave a frustrated groan and leaned forward. Not even a second later, a dark round object went whizzing fast across the broom where the girl's head would have been had she still been sitting up. Hermione screamed and Ron cursed loudly as he attempted to steer out of the path of another round object. "What the bloody . . ."   
  
"Ron! Look out!" Harry yelled to his friend, after spotting yet another ball zooming towards his friends. He glanced up to watch the other two round balls continue their flight upward. Both paused in mid-air and then began to dive. Not straight down, though, but directly at Ron and Hermione. "Watch Out!" Harry shouted. "Those are bludgers!"   
  
In front of him, Ginny called out, "Harry! Look!" She pointed down below where they were now hovering. Not one . . . or two . . . or even three bludgers were heading up towards them, but what looked to be over a dozen or so.   
  
Repeating some of the same curses Ron had been uttering moments before, Harry watched the bludgers closely. He was about to yell to Ginny to get them out of there when he noticed something. None of the bludgers were heading for them. They all seemed to be targeting on Ron and Hermione. Harry blinked with surprise when the dozen or so balls came to a stop right under Ron's broom.   
  
"What are they doing?" Ginny asked, staring in horror as the remaining bludgers took turns attacking her brother and friend.   
  
"I don't know," Harry answered. "But they're not acting like normal bludgers. We got to go up there and help them." Ginny, however, didn't move. Anxiously, Harry said to her, "Come on, Gin ... we've got to do something before they get hurt." With a slight nod, Ginny turned the broom and began to head downward. "Ginny? Where are you going?"   
  
Over her shoulder, Ginny yelled, "We won't do any good without some means of protection. We need clubs or something. And it'd be better if we were each on our own broom."   
  
Harry looked at the girl with open amazement. What she said made sense. Still, he felt as if they were wasting time. All of a sudden, he heard Ginny mutter an angry curse. "What? What's wrong?" he asked.   
  
Ginny motioned with a nod of her head as she answered, "Someone's after your Firebolt."   
  
"What!" Harry exclaimed. Looking around the ground below, he caught sight of a figure running across the field towards the area where his broom lay. Because of the hood being pulled up, Harry couldn't see who the person was. But, whoever it was, there was no way he was going to let him or her get to his Firebolt first. Speaking into Ginny's ear, Harry said, "Try to get to the Firebolt first. Only slow down a little when we reach it ... and get as low as possible."   
  
Ginny nodded in understanding and bent as low forward as possible. Harry held his breath as they came right above the hooded figure. Seconds later, they were in the lead with the broom only a few feet away. Ginny brought them down till their feet nearly touched the grass. With one hand, Harry held tight to Ginny's waist. The other, he stretched out to his side. As they passed over his Firebolt, Harry called out firmly, "UP!" The broom rose up in a flash and straight into his awaiting hand.   
  
As Ginny pulled them up, Harry noticed that the figure had just reached the spot where his broom had been. When they reached a safe distance up, Ginny slowed her broom so they could hover. Harry moved his broom into position then said, "Well ... here goes nothing." In one smooth move, he leapt from Ginny's broom to the Firebolt. As soon as he was settled on it, he turned to Ginny. "We need to get some Beater clubs."   
  
Looking up at where Ron and Hermione were still dodging bludgers, Ginny replied, "No time." She glanced around down at the ground below, then her eyes seemed to focus on something.   
  
Harry followed her line of sight and realized that she was looking at the edge of a wooded section near the pitch. "What are you thinking, Gin?" he asked with curiosity.   
  
"Wood," Ginny said simply, then took her broom into a dive for the forest. Harry quickly followed. Reaching the ground, she called back to him, "Find something to use as a club."   
  
Harry searched around desperately. Finally, he spotted a small pile of blocks of wood. "There!" he yelled out, pointing to the wood. Ginny located his findings and zoomed towards it. They each picked up a sturdy piece of wood ... Harry took two, actually ... then exchanged a look. Without a word, they immediately flew back up to where their friends were.   
  
Ron spotted them as he dove out of the way of another attacking bludger. "Where've you two been!?" he demanded. With great difficulty, Harry managed to slip through the wall of bludgers below Ron and fly up to his friends. Wordlessly, he handed Ron the extra stick of wood. Ron looked at it for a second blankly. Then, slowly, he began to smile. "Bloody Brilliant, mate!"   
  
Another bludger interrupted them just then. As it whipped around to take another go, Ron raised his stick in anticipation. The bludger got so close before Ron smacked it with all his might, sending it hurtling towards the ground below. With a whoop of celebration, the redhead exclaimed, "Now This is more like it!"   
  
Harry and Ron worked on batting away the attacking bludgers while below them, Ginny fought off the barricade of round balls. Despite all their hard effort, Harry knew that they were out numbered. They needed to catch each of the bludgers and lock them back up. But that was impossible to do up in the air. They'd have to break through the barrier of bludgers and lure them to the ground. But so far, Ginny hadn't been able to punch through it. In fact, the pesky little buggers were now nearly circling Ron, Hermione, and Harry.   
  
Glancing down at Ginny, Harry suddenly yelled, "Gin! ... Behind you!"   
  
A group of three bludgers were rocketing fast towards her. There was no way she could protect herself from all three. Harry just leaned slightly forward on his broom in preparation to dive towards the girl, when he saw a figure fly quickly below him. Another followed. Looking back at where Ginny was, Harry broke into a smile. "George! Fred! Good to see you!"   
  
Neither of the twins looked very happy at the moment. With almost a battle cry, they began to attack the oncoming bludgers. Fred called up to the others, "Knock them towards the ground. Alicia and the others will catch them." Slowly ... and somewhat painfully ... they began to move all of the bludgers downward. On the ground below, Harry could see Alicia, Katie, Angelina, Seamus, Dean, and other Gryffindor students running around tackling the errant balls.   
  
It took almost a half an hour, but they eventually had all of the bludgers caught and locked away. Wearily, the six students descended to the ground. As soon as they did, Hermione threw herself off the back of Ron's broom. She landed in a small heap, sobbing quietly. The older Gryffindor girls immediately began to console her as Ron looked on with a pale, yet dumbfounded _expression on his face.   
  
  
Harry looked closely at his best friend as he asked, "Are you two okay? You didn't get hit, did you?"   
  
Ron shook his head slowly. "I don't think so . . . we're shaken up, but I don't think we got hit." He still was gazing down with concern at Hermione.   
  
Harry shifted his attention to Ginny, who was sitting on the ground next to him. "How about you? he asked, glancing her over in search of any bumps or bleeding.   
  
She looked tired, but fine. "I'm okay. Did you get hit?" she asked, eyeing him also. Harry shook his head no.   
  
"What the bloody hell did you think you were doing, Potter?" Fred demanded angrily as he marched up to where they all were sitting. Harry, startled by both the question and the boy's tone, just gapped at him. "Well?" the older boy said, getting right up into Harry's face.   
  
"Back off, Fred," Ron said firmly. "None of this was Harry's fault."   
  
Fred still didn't look away from Harry even though he did take a step back away from him. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed that even George was gawking at his brother's attitude. "Well, then," Fred said, still quite angry, "I'd like to know who thought it would be fun to set every single bludger the school owns loose."   
  
Both Harry and Ron answered, "So would we!"   
  
Ginny stepped up to her brother and placed a hand softly on his arm. "Fred," she said calmly, "We don't know who let the bludgers out. Harry and I saw someone in robes with the hood up running across the field. Whoever it was tried to get to Harry's Firebolt before we could."   
  
Harry interrupted with, "He ... or she might have if Ginny hadn't flown so well. We just managed to reach it first."   
  
Fred held his hand up. "Hold on. You've just lost me. Why were you riding a broom with my sister? And why were Ron and Hermione sharing a broom?"   
  
Taking a deep breath, Harry told Fred and the others with him what all had happened since he and Ron had arrived at the pitch. When he finished, George commented, "Sounds to me like Malfoy was behind all this."   
  
Everyone appeared to agree with that. In a quiet voice, Fred said to Harry, "Sorry about jumping on you like that. Seeing my brother and sister in danger ... after what happened ... I guess it made me snap."   
  
Harry looked at the older boy silently for a moment. As Fred had been apologizing, Harry realized something. Fred automatically assumed that if his family were in danger than it must be because of him. That though was like a crushing blow. What was worse was that Harry knew that in a way, Fred was right. Muttering, Harry said, "I understand ... Perfectly." Not wanting to discuss it anymore, Harry stalked off the pitch, shoulders slumped in misery.   
  
Over the remaining days of the summer holiday, Harry made up excuses to be alone and not have to see or speak to anyone. Ron, of course, was near impossible to get away from. But to Harry's surprise, his best friend didn't pressure him to talk or hand around. He did, however, make it perfectly clear that he was still there for Harry if he should need to talk.   
  
September 1st finally rolled around and Harry, unable to come up with an excuse not to, found himself heading into the Great Hall for the Welcoming Feast. As he sat down at the Gryffindor table, he glanced around at all the other students. More returning students had arrived, but it was still painfully obvious that there were some missing.   
  
Ron and Hermione sat down next to him, also looking around the hall. As Harry glanced down his own table, he spotted the twins sitting not too far away. Next to them, sitting very quietly, was Ginny. With a pang of regret and guilt, Harry realized that in his retreat from everyone because of his feelings of hurt, he had also been ignoring Ginny. That was not something he'd intended to do.   
  
Just then, the young girl raised her eyes from the table and gazed down at Harry. A rapid display of emotions crossed her face as their eyes met. Finally, she just looked at him with an _expression of frightened hope. Still holding her gaze, Harry slowly smiled softly at her. She blinked a couple of times in surprise ... which made the grin on Harry's face actually reach both his eyes and heart. Then, shyly, she smiled back.   
  
"Hey Potter!" a voice yelled from the table over. Somewhat reluctantly, Harry tore his gaze away from Ginny to see who was greeting him. Waving wildly from the Ravenclaw table was Justin Finch-Fletchley. Harry gave a quick wave back, but said nothing. His eyes drifted across the occupants of the other house's table until they suddenly locked with two extremely dark brown eyes. It was Cho Chang.   
  
She didn't wave or smile, but she also didn't look away. Her _expression was sad. Seeing that Harry was looking back at her, Cho gave a small smile as she nodded her head to acknowledge him. Harry forced himself to do the same in return.   
  
The large doors to the Great Hall opened and Professor McGonagall led in a nervous looking group of first years. Harry watched as the woman set up the stool and placed the Sorting Hat on top of it. He only half listened to the instructions the professor gave and the song that the Sorting Hat sang. Without hearing names, he watched as several students took their turns with the Sorting Hat.   
  
"Li Chang," Professor McGonagall called out, immediately gaining Harry's attention. He watched a young boy with black hair and a very serious face walked up to the stool. It was fairly safe to assume that this boy was of some relation to Cho, as he looked almost exactly like her. Li sat down on the stool and Professor McGonagall lowered the hat onto his head.   
  
Taking a quick glance, Harry noted that Cho was watching intensely. He turned his attention back to the boy. Li didn't move or fidget as many of the first years did. He just sat there calmly as minute upon minute passed by. A low murmur was beginning to stir through the room with the hat shouted out, "GRYFFINDOR!"   
  
Harry's table burst into cheers, while a loud muttering sounded from Ravenclaw. As Li was greeted by his new housemates, Harry glanced over again at Cho. She was sitting there staring at Li with an _expression of pure shock.   
  
"Darmia Crabbe," was called out next by Professor McGonagall. Harry turned back to the sorting in time to see a petite girl with blonde curls stroll up to the stool. As with Li, the Sorting Hat took awhile to decide on which house. "SLYTHERIN!" it eventually called out. The Slytherin table broke into applause as the girl calmly strolled over to join them.   
  
Harry noticed Malfoy's one gooney, Crabbe, smile warmly at the girl as she sat down. "Must be his sister," Ron said, having also been watching. He added with a smirk, "She must have got her mother's looks and not her dad's ... like Crabbe did." Hermione tutted him as she lightly whapped his arm.   
  
The sorting continued on with the Gryffindors getting their last addition rather early. A girl named Colleen Jefferies quietly took her seat at the table, her eyes full of mischief and wonder. After her, the remaining students either went to Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. When everyone was finally settled, Professor Dumbledore stood up to address them.   
  
"I would like to welcome you all, both new and returning, to Hogwarts. We hope to have a pleasant and safe year. To help with that, there are a few rules. No student should enter the Forbidden Forest for any reason. All students are to be in their Common rooms or dormitories by sunset unless for classes or activities approved by one of the professors. We are asking that none of you wander off alone outdoors ...even during the day. And finally, it is necessary for every one of us to keep our eyes and ears open at all times. If you see or hear anything out of the ordinary, please inform me immediately."   
  
Harry noted with dismay that Professor Dumbledore's last statement was almost completely directed at him and his friends.   
  
Professor Dumbledore suddenly smiled then, as he continued on. "Not all of this year will be seriousness and studying. We will once again be holding Quidditch matches. And there may be another surprise or two awaiting you later in the year. So, with that said, it is time for the Welcoming Feast to begin." The older wizard waved his hand and the tables all were filled up with delicious food and treats.   
  
Soon, all in the hall were eating. Harry, too, munched on his food as he thought about Dumbledore's words. He somehow doubted that this year would be more fun than serious. Still, he knew from experience that one could never tell what might happen at a place like Hogwarts.   
  
  
A/N: Thanks to all who are still reading my fic. I love feedback. And a special thanks to my new beta reader, Amy! Hope you all are enjoying the story -- Thanks again for reading :-) 


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: HP is not mine - just borrowing. Please don't sue.  
  
  
A/N: Finally posting the next chapter. Sorry for such a long delay. Two more chapters should be coming fairly soon. Just want to thank all of you that have posted a review or emailed me. I really appreciate your comments and advice. Hope you all enjoy the story :-)  
  
  
Chapter 10   
  
  
The path ahead was dark, making it difficult to see. But that didn't slow him down. He was certain that he was getting near to his goal. Suddenly in the path ahead of him he saw something move. Using the light of his wand, he found pacing in front of him a large, almost beautiful sphinx.   
  
"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me," the creature said in a low, scratchy voice.   
  
A somewhat nervous response was made. "So ... so will you move, please?"   
  
Still walking back and forth, the sphinx said, "No. Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess ... I let you pass. Answer wrongly ... I attack. Remain silent ... I will let you walk away from me unscathed."   
  
"Okay ... Can I hear the riddle?"   
  
In response to the question, the Sphinx sat down so as to block the path. She gazed solemnly as she recited, "First think of the person who lives in disguise, who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, the middle of middle, and end of the end? And finally give me the sound often heard during the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together, and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"   
  
"Could I have it again ... more slowly?" Once again the Sphinx recited her poem. "All the clues add up to a creature I wouldn't want to kiss?" No answer was given, only an odd smile. "A person in disguise who lies ... er ... that'd be an impostor. No, that's not my guess! A -- a spy? I'll come back to that ... could you give me the next clue again, please?"   
  
The Sphinx, not moving from where she sat, slowly stopped smiling. In a cold, icy voice, she then said, "Let's see if you can answer this one instead." With eyes glowing an ugly red, she sang out in a haunting voice, "Tell me the name of he whose name is no more. Scrambled to new identity, power from blood doth pour. Next word is simple, opposite of drought; but of a different spelling, figure it out. Now a new phrase, starting with what most heads are. And onto the word which names the maker of a clay jar. Finally we end with the one thing all do. It happens only when one's life is through. Now say them loudly, so all can hear. The worst possibility in which you do fear."   
  
Silence filled the darkness, which seemed to grow until only the two red eyes could be seen in the path ahead. "Tell me your answer," the voice hissed out of the dark. "Tell me now! ... Tell Me Now! ... TELL ME NOW!"   
  
  
  
Harry suddenly sat up in his bed and looked around. He had no idea why he'd woken up. One moment, he'd been dreaming about playing Quidditch, then he was suddenly awake. Nothing in his dream had been disturbing. In fact, it'd actually been rather pleasant. Still, Harry couldn't seem to shake off the feeling that something was wrong ... that he was needed somehow.   
  
Knowing he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep, Harry got up and slid on his glasses. Clad in his pajamas, he headed down to the Gryffindor Common room. He honestly had expected to find the room empty. That was why he was surprised to find someone sitting in front of the roaring fire. It was a young boy. 'Probably a first year,' Harry thought.   
  
The boy looked back at him and Harry recognized who it was. "Li?" he asked, then realized that he hadn't actually met the boy yet. Taking a step forward, Harry said, "Didn't mean to intrude ... I couldn't sleep. I'm Harry Potter, by the way."   
  
Li glanced up at him and nodded, "I know who you are." Harry sighed, knowing that most everyone in the wizarding world knew who he was. "I'm Li Chang ... Cho's youngest brother," the boy went on to say.   
  
"Nice to meet you, Li," Harry responded, then asked, "Were you not able to sleep either?"   
  
Shaking his head, Li answered, "I slept too much on the train ... I'm not used to the time change yet."   
  
Harry smiled in understanding. He glanced around the rest of the common room, an odd feeling that he thought there should be someone else around nagging at the back of his mind. Looking back at Li, Harry found the young boy watching him with unemotional eyes. A sense of discomfort caused him to blurt out, "So, are you excited to be here at Hogwarts?"   
  
"I always knew that I'd come here," Li said flatly. "My eldest brother and sister went here ... and Cho goes here. Some day my little sisters will attend here also."   
  
Harry moved over to one of the seats and sat down. "Were you disappointed that you didn't get into Ravenclaw?" he asked.   
  
Li showed his first signs of emotion -- genuine surprise. "Disappointed?! No! Of course not! Ravenclaw's a decent house. My eldest brother was in it too. Kiko, my eldest sister, was in Hufflepuff. I am the first in our family to be put into Gryffindor. It's a great honor."   
  
The pride Li was feeling shone clearly on his face. It surprised Harry that Li was so different acting than Cho. The Ravenclaw seeker was always very quiet, yet cheerful; always friendly and polite. It wasn't that Li wasn't polite or friendly ... he just seemed so serious. Of course, differences of personality within a family really weren't uncommon. Harry immediately thought about the differences between the Weasley twins and Percy.   
  
Just that small thought suddenly brought Harry's mood down. Before he realized what he was doing, he had sighed heavily. Li gave him an odd look. Quickly, Harry explained. "Sorry ... I was just thinking about a friend ... someone I recently lost."   
  
"Percy Weasley?" Li asked. Harry's quick look of surprise made the boy add, "I heard about the attack on the Weasleys and your disappearance."   
  
Harry briefly wondered if that meant Cho had heard about it ... and had she worried about him. Shaking away those thoughts, Harry said, "I heard about what happened to your family too. I'm very sorry that you had to go through that."   
  
Li shrugged, though he was frowning deeply. "We were fortunate to get away ... though ... I still don't understand how it happened."   
  
Harry leaned forward with curiosity, "What do you mean? Didn't your Grandfather portkey you out of there?"   
  
A look of deep confusion crossed the first year's face. "Yes, but ... it was strange. Everyone says that we gathered in the kitchen and portkeyed from there. However ... I swear that I remember coming into the kitchen last and seeing my Grandfather arguing with ..." The boy paused, clearly uncertain whether he should go on or not.   
  
Wanting to know who Li had thought he'd seen, Harry urged, "Who? Who did you see?"   
  
Li gave Harry a long look before he finally answered, "It's crazy, but I thought that my Grandfather was arguing with this man. He looked ... deceitful. Then suddenly, the man was gone and we were gathering around the portkey."   
  
"And your family doesn't remember this man at all?" Harry asked, very intrigued.   
  
Li shook his head. "Although, my Grandfather started acting very strange after I'd mentioned him. He seemed to be angry ... and suspicious."   
  
Harry sat there quietly for a moment before saying, "That is strange."   
  
Frowning, Li said, "My parents claim that the stress caused by the attack left me a bit confused." He raised his gaze to meet with Harry's, then added, "But I don't believe that I was confused ... I don't Get confused."   
  
Not sure just how to respond to that, Harry said nothing. After a moment, Li's _expression softened a bit as he said, "I am sorry about what happened to your friend. But from what I've heard, he died a very honorable death."   
  
Harry frowned at that comment. "He died because he wouldn't tell Voldemort what he wanted to know ... he probably died protecting me. It seems like a lot of people are doing that."   
  
"And that is not honorable?" Li asked bluntly.   
  
"No! ... I mean, Yes! ... In a way," Harry tried to answer, but was getting frustrated with his inability to explain. "I'm not worth dying for! Look at me! I'm nothing ... a nobody! Yet everyone seems to think that I'm some kind of hero. But I'm not! I'm alive because Others who Were heroes have sacrificed themselves so I could keep living. All I do ... is live. And everyone is expecting Me to defeat Voldemort. All I'll be able to do is let everyone down."   
  
Harry couldn't believe all of that just came out of him. He hadn't yelled or really spoken angrily. He had just said passionately what had been haunting his mind and heart. Looking at the first year student, Harry was surprised to see Li smiling at him.   
  
Slowly, the boy told him, "My Grandfather is a very wise man ... and a great wizard. He once told me that the only way to let anyone down is to stop trying to do what is being asked of you. If someone wants you to fill a basket with apples and you toss the basket aside without trying, then you will let that person down. If you sit on the basket, complain, but eventually fill it up, then you will not have let the person down."   
  
"Picking apples is not quite the same as fighting a powerful, dark wizard," Harry replied.   
  
"No ... but the attitude that you can have towards either task is," Li said. "You can just quit and let down all the people who have got you to this point ... or ... you can moan and groan about it, then get the job done."   
  
Li had said that in such a matter-of-fact tone that Harry couldn't help but smile. "So in other words, it's okay that I don't like that people have got hurt ... or died ... to protect me. Or even that I'm being looked upon to do something so utterly impossible ... I just have to try ... do my best."   
  
"That's all that can be expected ... of you or anyone," Li stated, then stood. "Well, I believe that I will attempt to get some sleep. I suggest that you do the same, Harry." The young boy started to head towards the steps to the boy's dormitory.   
  
Harry called out softly, "Li! Wait!" Li turned around and looked at him expectantly. With a warm smile, Harry said, "Thanks! I'm really glad that you're part of Gryffindor."   
  
Li smiled back. "So am I. Good-night, Harry."   
  
Harry watched as the boy headed up the stairs, then turned to watch the crackling fire. Many thoughts ran through his head as he tried to bring in Li's advice into his way of thinking. The warmth of the flames soon soaked into Harry's skin and into his brain. Relaxed and comforted, he finally decided to do the same as Li and try to get some rest. Quietly, he headed back up to his room.   
  
The next morning, Harry woke up still somewhat tired. He got dressed and pulled his robes on before heading down to breakfast. Ron and Hermione were already there when he arrived. The two glanced at each other quickly, then turned to Harry. "I didn't know if you'd make it," Ron said with a smile. "I tried to wake you, but you were out of it."   
  
Harry buttered some toast as he said, "Yeah. I didn't sleep so well earlier ... guess it caught up with me."   
  
Hermione handed him his schedule, which he promptly ignored as he set it aside. At the moment, his stomach had priority. Hermione began to tell the two all about the responsibilities of a prefect. Both Ron and Harry nodded and grunted, though neither was really listening.   
  
As Harry ate, he glanced around the Gryffindor table. Towards the way end, on the opposite side, sat Ginny. She was sitting by herself, playing absentmindedly with her food. Harry thought that she looked rather tired. She seemed a bit pale ... and sluggish. As he continued to stare at her, she suddenly looked down at him. Both blushed, though neither looked away. Slowly, a shy and sweet smile lit up Ginny's face.   
  
Harry felt an odd feeling wash through him. His smile actually started from his heart and slowly made its way to his face. However, before the smile had fully formed, he felt an overwhelming desire to glance up over Ginny's shoulder. When he did, he found himself staring into the dark eyes of Cho Chang. The smile that had started out for Ginny ended up going to the pretty Ravenclaw Seeker. Not breaking eye contact, he watched Cho as she walked over to her house table and sat down. Eyes sparkling, Cho smiled back at the rather dazed boy.   
  
"Oy! Harry!" Ron called loudly, elbowing him in the ribs.   
  
Harry blinked, then looked over at his friend. "Wh-what?" he asked, still feeling dazed.   
  
Ron smirked at him. "I asked you twice now to hand me the sugar."   
  
Making a low grunting noise, Harry handed Ron the sugar and then glanced over at Hermione. He noticed that she was frowning at him. 'She looks mad at me,' he thought, 'What did I do?'   
  
  
Suddenly, Harry remembered Ginny. He quickly glanced down the table and was dismayed to find her no longer there. He groaned lightly, figuring that there was probably no chance that Ginny hadn't seen him staring at Cho. It bothered him to think that he had probably hurt her feelings by what he'd just done ... although, he wasn't quite sure why that was.   
  
Just then, Professor Dumbledore stood up at the teachers' table. "Attention, students! I have a few announcements to make. Please, everyone settle down for a moment." A hush slowly made its way over the room. "Good. Well then, I wanted to announce to you all that we have decided to hold another ball this year." A variety of mutterings echoed through the Great Hall ... some excited ... many not.   
  
Professor Dumbledore waited until the students quieted down again before going on. "As I was saying, we will be holding another ball ... for Hogwarts students only ... all ages." More collective gasps and moans filled the room. "We will be holding the ball on New Year's Eve ... and it will last until dawn."   
  
That got a much more positive response. "One thing though," Professor Dumbledore stated, then paused a long moment for effect. "This will be a Sadie Hawkins style dance. In other words, you ladies are being given the opportunity to ask who You wish to go with. And, of course, you gentlemen can decline an invitation ... but remember ... the invitation you refuse may be the only one you'll receive."   
  
Even from where he sat, Harry could see Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkling with mirth. The old man went on, "Of course, as this is a formal occasion, you will be expected to wear dress robes. There is plenty of time for you to send for your robes if you didn't bring them with you. And if you are in need of new ones, then we will have a few scheduled visits to Hogsmeade to take care of such things. I know for a fact that the shops are preparing a nice selection to be available to you all. Now, with that said, I have only one last comment ... Deedle, Crumpets, Snoze, and Tarpe." Smiling, the professor sat down and began to eat again.   
  
Conversations broke out all across the hall. At the Gryffindor table, Seamus moaned loudly, "Not another dance! Can't we do something that's fun?" He, Dean, and Neville were sitting across from Harry, Ron, and Hermione.   
  
Dean chuckled lightly, "At least we don't have to do the asking this time. Let the girls suffer through all that hassle just to get a date."   
  
Seamus gave his friend a smug look as he commented, "Gee ... I didn't have any hassles finding a date." Dean rolled his eyes, then punched Seamus' arm semi-lightly when the boy started to laugh.   
  
Harry glanced next to him at Ron and was surprised to see that his friend was busily scribbling away on a parchment. Suddenly the tip of his quill broke, causing him to spout out a few choice words. Guiltily, Ron glanced over at Hermione. But she hadn't noticed since she was sitting there with a far away look on her face. Nudging her, Ron said, "Oy, Hermione? Can I borrow a quill?"   
  
Hermione gave him a confused look, then dug into her bag. A moment later, she'd pulled out a quill. As she handed it to the boy next to her, she began to look at him almost nervously. Seeing this, Ron asked, "What? What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"   
  
The young girl bit her lip, then murmured, "Ron? ... would you ... maybe ... go ... totheball ... with me?"   
  
Ron gave the girl a look of pure amazement, ignoring the loud snickering that was going on across the table. "You're asking Me?" he replied in obvious shock.   
  
Hermione blushed lightly as she nodded. "Who else would I ask," she stated, then blushed deeper.   
  
At that comment, Ron narrowed his eyes. "Oh ... I don't know," he answered in a slightly spiteful tone, "Maybe ... Vicky!?"   
  
Hermione's eyes widened, then began to tear up. Standing, she fumed, "I just don't believe you, Ron Weasley! I go and ask you ... and you just insult me ... and my friend!" With that, she whirled on her heels and fled the Great Hall.   
  
Seamus and Dean's snickers were turned into loud, "Uh-Oh!"s and "Way to go, Weasley!" Ron didn't even look their way, but sat there staring after Hermione with his mouth wide open. Finally, he muttered, "Damn! What did I just do?"   
  
Harry watched his friend with a mixture of amusement and pity. "Well," he then told Ron, "I'd say that you just acted like a total prat." Ron glared over at him. Smiling, Harry added, "I'd also say that you might want to think about talking to her."   
  
Ron's eyes widened. He stood up quickly and hurriedly gathered his belongings. As he did, he said, "You're right! I've got to go find her. See you in class."   
  
Harry watched, shaking his head slightly, as the red-haired boy disappeared from the Great Hall. Across from him, Seamus said, "That was truly pathetic."   
  
Dean nodded. "Yeah ... the boy's got it bad, doesn't he?"   
  
Next to the grinning boys, Neville sat looking grim. He sighed heavily, drawing attention to himself. Dean raised an eyebrow as he asked, "What's wrong, Neville?"   
  
The quiet and somewhat clumsy boy shrugged. "It's just going to be depressing watching everyone else get asked to the dance. No one's going to ask me."   
  
Feeling bad for the boy, Harry said in a forced reassuring tone, "I'm sure someone will ask you."   
  
Dean cut in without thinking, "Maybe the girl you took to the Yule Ball last year will ask you."   
  
Neville glanced at Harry, then shook his head. "I think there's someone else that she'd rather go with."   
  
When Dean looked a bit confused, Seamus muttered to him, "Ginny Weasley." They both looked at Harry as Dean replied with a drawn out, "Ohhhh..."   
  
Harry grabbed up his cup to take a drink in hopes of hiding his reddened face. Neville just sighed again. "I think I'm going to head up to class early," the boy said, standing up. The three boys that remained sitting watched him walk down the aisle to leave.   
  
Before Neville reached the end of the Gryffindor table, a cute girl from second year called out shyly to him. He seemed overly startled and actually glanced around to see if she wasn't speaking to someone else. Realizing that she wasn't, Neville slowly approached the girl. She had her back to Harry, Seamus, and Dean, so they couldn't tell what she was saying.   
  
But Neville's face was in clear view. They watched as the _expression on his face switched from nervousness to suspicion to surprise and finally to a bright, sincere smile. He said only one word to the girl, who nodded back to him. Then he too nodded. The girl motioned to the place next to her and, still grinning foolishly, Neville sat down.   
  
"Am I seeing things or did Neville Longbottom just get asked out by a girl?" Seamus said, a hint of disgust in his tone.   
  
Happy for his quiet friend, Harry just replied, "It sure looks that way."   
  
Dean pretended to wipe away a tear as he said jokingly, "They grow up so fast, don't they?"   
  
Seamus glared over at Dean as he commented, "Don't you realize what this means?" Both Harry and Dean looked at him blankly. In a completely perturbed tone, he said, "It means that Neville ... our clumsy, shy, and backwards Neville ... got a date to the ball before any of us! That's just not Right!"   
  
Harry left Dean and Seamus discussing this unexpected event and headed up to class. To his dismay, Harry suddenly found the eyes of most of the female population on him more than ever before. He managed to escape having to talk to Parvati and Lavender, only to run into a group of giggling first year girls. Rolling his eyes, he rushed past them. In the end, it took him nearly twice as long to get to class than normal.   
  
Walking in and taking his seat just before the class began, Harry sighed with relief. It was only then that he fully realized that his first class was Potions with the Slytherins. Standing at the front of the class was Professor Snape.   
  
The professor glared across the room at Harry before commenting, "You seem to be a bit flushed, Mr. Potter." The man's glare turned into a cold sneer as he went on, "No doubt you are out of breath from all your would-be wooers chasing you. Wasn't the right one after you, Potter?"   
  
Harry stared back at the man evenly as the Slytherin side of the room began to cackle with laughter. Turning away, Professor Snape began the lesson. When he did, Ron elbowed him and whispered, "Just ignore him. He's just jealous because he knows that no female would Ever ask him out ... let alone a whole bunch of females." Harry gave his best friend a small smile as he nodded.   
  
It was obvious to Harry throughout the rest of the day that Ron and Hermione had settled things. It was also rather annoying the way the two of them would sit in uncomfortable silence as they threw quick glances at each other. Harry was positive by the time they headed down to dinner that he would much rather have them screeching and yelling at each other than acting the way they were now.   
  
While his best friends continued their bizarre behavior, Harry looked around for Ginny. He'd hoped to run into her so that he could make sure that she wasn't upset with him He wasn't sure why, but the thought of hurting Ginny bothered him greatly. To his disappointment, she was no where to be seen. He did spot Colin Creevey coming into the hall with his brother, Dennis. Harry waved them over, much to their surprise ... and the other fifth years that Harry was sitting with.   
  
As soon as Colin sat down next to him, Harry said, "Hey Colin. How'd your first day go?" Obviously thrilled at being asked such a question from his role model and hero, Colin went into a colorful ... and Very detailed ... description of his day. Harry patiently listened to him, secretly hoping that the boy might give him a clue as to Ginny's whereabouts.   
  
Colin had just finished telling him about his last class when Harry stopped him to ask, "Colin ... you don't happen to know where Ginny is, do you?"   
  
For just a brief moment, Colin's face seemed to fall. But then he switched to a look of concern. "Ginny Weasley?" he asked, getting a nod from Harry as a reply. "I don't really know for sure. She didn't look very good today ..."   
  
Harry interrupted, "What do you mean?"   
  
Colin gave him an odd look before answering, "Well ... she looked upset ... and tired. She wouldn't even talk much to me, and she Always talks to me. I figured that she just wasn't feeling well or something."   
  
Harry sighed at this information. He hoped that it wasn't him that was making her upset and tired. "Why do you ask?" Colin inquired, watching Harry with intense curiosity.   
  
From the other side of him, Ron said, "Yeah, Harry ... why all this interest in my little sister?"   
  
Harry felt a bit cornered right at that moment. He wasn't really sure what to say ... to either of them.   
  
"Excuse me, Harry?" a soft, feminine voice said from behind the boys. Turning, Harry found Cho Chang standing there looking shyly at him.   
  
"Ch-Cho ..." Harry stammered as he attempted to get to his feet. He could hear the giggling and snickering from his housemates, but he didn't seem to mind them. All that seemed to matter to him at the moment was that The Cho Chang was standing there with him and wanted to speak with him.   
  
Cho motioned towards one of the exits as she said, "Could we speak ... privately?"   
  
Harry nodded, not quite trusting his voice. They left behind the table of cat-calling and hooting Gryffindors and went into one of the darkened hallways just outside the Great Hall. As soon as they were alone, Cho turned and said, "Harry ... I was just wondering ... if you haven't already been asked ... well ... would you go to the ball with me?"   
  
Harry stood there for a full minute staring blankly at the girl. Finally, he asked in an awed tone, "Me? ... Go with You?" Cho nodded hesitantly. Breaking into a huge grin, Harry nearly shouted, "Yes! Of course I would!" Cho giggled.   
  
Looking relieved, Cho began to tell Harry about the dress robe she was planning to wear. Harry listened with a strange fascination ... until he saw a glimpse of red hair out of the corner of his eye. Looking over, Harry saw Ginny walking down the dark hall towards the Great Hall ... and to where he and Cho were standing. As she moved closer, Harry noticed that she did indeed appear tired and sad.   
  
Ginny was only a few feet away when she seemed to realize that someone was in her way. Looking up, she glanced back and forth between Harry and Cho. Then, her eyes seemed to cloud over and she walked quickly past them.   
  
Harry wanted to reach out and stop her, just to make sure that she was okay. But just then, Cho asked curiously, "Harry? Are you okay?"   
  
Looking back at the pretty Ravenclaw girl, Harry felt his worries diminish. He gave her a warm smile as he answered, "I'm fine ... just fine."   
  
  
  
Word about Harry and Cho attending the ball together swept through the school like a wildfire. Harry found himself being looked at by most girls with a longing sadness in their eyes. And most of the male population had taken to looking at him with a mixture of awe and envy. He had thought that since she'd asked him to go to the ball with her, he'd get a chance to spend more time now with Cho. But, that didn't happen.   
  
With them being in different years and different houses, Harry didn't get many opportunities to see Cho. Plus, as they were both on their respective houses' Quidditch teams, their practices took up much of their time as well. Harry also found himself bogged down by studies for his O.W.L.S. and his classes. It just didn't seem like he and Cho could get any time together.   
  
One good thing that had happened, however, was that Ron had made the Gryffindor Quidditch team as Keeper. This gave Harry and Ron another opportunity to hang out with each other. Hermione, at first, was very happy for Ron. But, after the two boys were constantly too busy with practice, she began to get somewhat snippish about the topic. She and Ron seemed to spend almost all of their time together fighting and arguing.   
  
It was for this reason that when the first Hogsmeade visit came up, Harry wasn't too sure that he wanted to go with Ron and Hermione. A day spent with the two of them squabbling seemed like a waste. But then he learned that Ginny was planning to go with them. Hermione wanted a girl's opinion on getting a dress robe for the ball and Ginny had been recruited.   
  
Harry was glad to hear that Ginny would be coming along. He figured that while Ron and Hermione were busy quarreling, he might get the chance to talk to her. So far, she'd seemed to be doing a good job avoiding him, or at least that's how it felt to him. And he found it to be unsettling for some reason. The only times he wasn't thinking about what could be bothering Ginny was when he was actually spending time with Cho. Of course, he didn't really think about anything except Cho when he was with her.   
  
The morning of the Hogsmeade trip finally arrived and Harry sat at the Gryffindor table with Ron and Hermione. Amazingly, the two hadn't started fighting yet. Harry was glancing up at the doors every time someone walked in. He was afraid that Ginny might change her mind about coming with them. The fact that she hadn't shown up yet for breakfast wasn't helping.   
  
Just then, one of the doors opened and the twins and Ginny walked in. Ron looked sharply when, next to him, Harry sighed with relief. Harry hadn't even realized that he'd done it. He was too busy noticing how exhausted and pale Ginny looked. This startled him. She only glanced at him briefly as she sat down at the table, then she turned away as if to hide the dark circles under her sad eyes.   
  
Fred and George came over to stand behind their younger brother. With ridiculously wide grins, they placed a large box in front of Ron. He looked at it skeptically. "What's this?" he asked, his voice filled with suspicion. "It's not my birthday and it's too early for Christmas presents ..."   
  
Whapping Ron on the back of the head lightly, Fred stated, "You won't know what it is until you open it up."   
  
That didn't seem to ease Ron's fears a bit. He just frowned back and forth at each of the twins. George put on a mock look of hurt as he said, "Don't you trust us? We would Never do anything to our favorite younger brother."   
  
Ron snarled at him, "I'm your only younger brother, you git."   
  
From down the table, Ginny said softly, "It's okay, Ron ... it's safe to open."   
  
Everyone looked down at her, though she continued to gaze down at her plate of untouched food. Even the expressions on the twins' faces relayed the concern they all were feeling for Ginny. To get the attention off of Ginny, who was beginning to look more uncomfortable, Hermione said, "Go on, Ron ... Open it up. I'm dying to see what it is."   
  
Ron only hesitated a second, then tore open the box. As soon as the lid was off, Hermione made a soft, "Oohh"ing sound. With a look of total surprise, Ron carefully pulled out a brand new dress robe. "Is this for real?" he asked as he examined the dark blue robe. There wasn't a single bit of lace or fluff on it anywhere.   
  
Both of the twins patted him on the back, laughing at his reaction. "We just wanted to give this to you before you headed into Hogsmeade. Wouldn't want you to spend your money on something you don't need."   
  
Looking up at his brothers, Ron squinted his eyes with mistrust. "Why are you doing this? What's the catch?"   
  
George sighed dramatically. "Where'd we go wrong, dear brother? It appears that Ronnikins still can't believe that we'd do this just because we love our baby brother."   
  
Fred gave George an overly done wide-eyed innocent look as he replied, "Oh ... was That why we got it for him? I thought it was because we didn't want him showing up in some lacy, frilly thing and embarrassing us to death."   
  
George elbowed Fred playfully. "Shh! He's not supposed to know That!"   
  
Waving his hand to shut them both up, Ron said, "Fine! I get the point! Thank you ... I think. Just know this. If this robe turns out to do something to embarrass me, I will make sure that mum knows All about your Extra-curricular activities." He was, of course, referring to their wizard joke inventions.   
  
"Tsk, tsk," George said, grinning with delight. "Talking like that, someone might mistake you for one of us." Ron gave his brother a look of annoyance.   
  
Fred had already turned his attention to Harry. "Where's the little woman?" he asked mischievously.   
  
Harry couldn't help but glance awkwardly down at Ginny. He didn't feel comfortable talking about Cho in front of her. Quietly, he told Fred, "Cho went to visit her family for the weekend ... some sort of family function or something."   
  
Hermione stood up from the table just then and said, "If we're going to get everything done, then we should get going." Ginny stood up also, leaving behind a plate of untouched food. Without a word, she started to head out of the Great Hall. Hermione cast a worried glance at the boys, then followed after her. Ron and Harry were right behind them.   
  
  
  
They stopped off up in the Gryffindor Tower long enough to drop off Ron's dress robe and pick up some warm cloaks. Then they finally headed down to Hogsmeade. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny walked together, while Harry lagged behind.   
  
About half way there, Ron slowed down to walk with his best friend. "Everything okay, Harry?" he asked with concern.   
  
Harry nodded, not really knowing what to say to Ron. Without realizing it, Harry's gaze fell on Ginny. He stared at her blankly, his mind deeply lost in thought. Ron startled him by saying, "You worried about her too, mate?"   
  
Realizing that Ron had no doubt noticed him staring at his sister, Harry replied, "She ... looks so tired. And she doesn't seem to ever eat."   
  
"I'm surprised you noticed that," Ron said, somewhat sarcastically, then immediately looked remorseful.   
  
Harry, not liking his friend's tone, asked, "What do you mean by that?"   
  
Ron shrugged. Trying to sound nonchalant, he answered, "You just seem to be overly preoccupied these days ... especially around Cho. Not that I blame you, but ... you usually seem oblivious to everything and everyone around you except for your school work, Quidditch, ... and Cho."   
  
Harry sighed, having really expected something like this to happen eventually. "My studies and Quidditch take a Lot of my concentration. And Cho ... well ... when we get a chance to be together, I just want to make the most of it." Ron smirked at that remark. Rolling his eyes, Harry added, "And we don't really get That much time together ... usually just at meals. She doesn't seem to have much time for me because she's so busy too."   
  
With a light laugh, Ron just shrugged. "Whatever you say, Harry."   
  
When they got into Hogsmeade, they decided to head straight to a shop with dress robes. Hermione wanted to get there while there was still a good selection. Ron and Harry just wanted to get this part of the trip over with as quickly as possible. Splitting up, it was decided that Ron would help Harry get his robe and then head over to Zonko's while the girls finished. Ron assured Hermione that this way the girls could take their time choosing the right robes without having the two of them there bothering them. Hermione didn't really look like she was buying that, but she did agree to the plan.   
  
To expediate things for the robe makers, all students who entered into the store were immediately measured. This, of course, was rather surprising and annoying to everyone. As soon as they stepped into the shop, several tape measurers flew at them and began wrapping around them quickly. Ron had tried to dodge the irritating devices. To his dismay and the others' amusement, they had ended up cornering him in the front window where passer-bys got to witness the whole process.   
  
After that, Ron and Harry wandered around the dress robe section for wizards, trying to find something for Harry to wear. "You know," Ron said as they searched through a rack of robes, "I'm glad the twins got me that robe. It saved me from having to go through all of this hassle just to find something decent to wear."   
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at his friend as he commented, "But, you are still going through all the hassle ... it's just for me instead of you."   
  
Ron paused as he looked somewhat enlightened. "Oh yeah ... hadn't thought about that."   
  
"Oohhh, Ginny! That looks just lovely on you," Hermione could be heard saying from the girls' section. Both Ron and Harry casually moved so that they could get a glimpse of the girls. When they did, Harry blinked with surprise. Lovely was an understatement. Ginny looked amazing in a flowing black, golden speckled, dress robe that had intricate weavings of lace and ribbons that gave it a feminine touch.   
  
Looking at herself in the mirror, Ginny sighed. "It is lovely, but ... the price isn't. I just don't think that I can afford something like this. Besides, I'm only going with Colin ... my robes from last year should be fine."   
  
"Oy, Harry!" Ron said from the rack of robes he had moved off to after checking quickly on the girls. "What about this one?"   
  
Walking over, Harry looked critically at the robe in his friend's hand. It was a simple design dress robe made of a black material with scarlet flecks scattered over it. There was no lace and no frills. And in Harry's opinion, it was perfect.   
  
As his measurements had already been taken, Harry was able to quickly place his order for alterations on the robe and pay for it. It wasn't too long after, the two boys left the store. Because of the number of alterations that the shop was going to be handling, all robes would be shipped out a week or so later. This was fine with Harry as he hadn't really wanted to walk around carrying the robe for the rest of the day.   
  
The boys headed over to Zonko's Joke Shop. Within a half an hour, their arms were full of various items of practical jokes and gags. As Ron paid for his items, Harry stood behind him sorting through everything he was holding. Suddenly, the door to the store flew open and Hermione came rushing in. "Ron! Harry!" she called out frantically. "Is Ginny with you?"   
  
The shopkeeper was just handing Ron his change when Hermione had asked her question. As he whirled around to look at the upset girl, coins flew everywhere. "What do you mean? Why would Ginny be with us? She's supposed to be with you!" Ron exclaimed, ignoring the clerk who was quickly picking up the change that'd been dropped. "What happened?" Ron demanded.   
  
Voice shaking slightly, Hermione answered, "She was with me ... in the robe shop. I had gone up to pay for my robe and to make sure they had all the information right. Ginny had been waiting for me by the front entrance. When I came back to where I'd left her, she was gone. I asked one of the other customers if she'd seen Ginny. The lady told me that Ginny had left right after some boys came in. At first, I thought she was referring to you two ... but then she told me that two of the boys followed after Ginny ... and the other was still in the store. She pointed him out. Oh Ron ... it was Crabbe."   
  
Ron and Harry looked at each other and said together, "Malfoy!"   
  
Hermione nodded. "I was hoping that she'd have come here to find you two. What should we do?"   
  
Harry placed the things in his arms down on the counter and told the clerk to hold on to them. Then, turning to his two best friends, he said, "I think we should split up and look for Ginny. If Malfoy is involved then we know that it's not good for her to be out there alone. If you find her, send up red sparks, okay?" Both Ron and Hermione nodded. 


	12. Chapter 11

Note to Readers: This chapter may look familiar to those of you who might have been reading this story on GT. It was posted there awhile back, but I hadn't had time to post it here till now. I want to extend a thank you to all of you who have been writing to me and encouraging me to continue with this story. It really means a lot to me. Thanks & Enjoy!  
  
Chapter Eleven   
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the store and went in separate directions to look for Ginny. Harry ended up heading in the direction of the Shrieking Shack. As he walked along, he kept his eyes and ears alert for any signs of Ginny or Malfoy. After about ten minutes, Harry thought he heard a familiar voice.   
  
"...he's who I think, then at least you're wising up for pure bloods instead of that pathetic excuse of a wizard, Potter," the voice said sarcastically. Harry could tell immediately that it was Malfoy. The question was now, was Ginny with him?   
  
A soft voice saying, "Sod off, Malfoy!" answered that for him. Quickly, he headed for the voices. As Harry rounded the corner into the darkened alley, he saw Malfoy with his back to him. The Slytherin boy was holding firmly to Ginny's arm, right above the elbow. His free hand was playing with some of Ginny's long hair. In a smooth voice that turned Harry's stomach, Malfoy said, "You know, I think I was mistaken before ... when I told you to dye your hair. I think that I like it just the way it is."   
  
Ginny tried to pull away from him as she snarled, "Let me go, Malfoy!" But he just chuckled as he ran his hand down her hair again.   
  
"You better do as she says," Harry stated in a low, dangerous tone.   
  
Not letting go of the girl, Malfoy turned around to glare at Harry. "Oh look," he said sarcastically to Ginny, "Potter's come to save you." To Harry, Malfoy asked, "How is it that you always seem to show up when Miss Weaslette is in trouble? It's uncanny."   
  
Harry didn't even bother to answer. He just pulled out his wand and advanced slowly on the blonde boy. "Let go of her, Malfoy!" he growled, his fury growing with each step. Malfoy just chuckled more.   
  
As his attention was mostly on Harry, Malfoy never noticed Ginny pick her foot up until it was too late. She smashed her foot down on his, making Malfoy howl with pain. When he still didn't let go of her arm, Ginny slammed her knee into his groin. His head came down as he doubled over and she punched him solidly in the nose.   
  
Malfoy finally let go of Ginny.  
  
As the Slytherin dropped to the ground in obvious pain, Harry leapt forward and grabbed Ginny. Without a word, he dragged her out of the alley and down the busy Hogsmeade streets. When he felt they were a safe distance away, Harry slowed down. As soon as he did, Ginny yanked her wrist from his grasp. Stopping, Harry gave her a started look as he asked, "What?"   
  
Ginny just glared at him for a moment. Finally, she stated hotly, "You Didn't have to Drag me away from there like that. In fact, you Didn't need to help me At All! I was just Fine on my own."  
  
Harry gave her an exasperated look as he asked, "What *are* you talking about?"  
  
Ignoring his question, Ginny went on, "You are just like the rest of my family ... think that I can't take care of myself. Well, I'll tell you, Harry Potter ... I don't *need* another brother to look after me ..."   
  
"I'm not trying to be another *brother*," Harry responded, still sounding highly frustrated. "I'm trying to be a *friend*! I'm allowed to do that, aren't I?!" He was surprised to find himself somewhat breathless after having exclaimed this. Even his fists were balled up as if he were on the defense.   
  
Ginny just looked at him for a long moment, dozens of emotions crossing her pretty face. Then with a small cry, she turned away from Harry and ran off. Ron and Hermione had just reached them when Ginny had fled. Hermione gave Harry an odd look, then took off after the younger girl. "What was That about?" Ron asked.   
  
Harry could only shrug.   
  
"Well ... was she okay?" the red-hair boy asked. Taking a deep breath, Harry went into a lengthy explanation of what had happened. Ron was furious with Malfoy and absolutely baffled by his sister's behavior. Figuring that Hermione was the best one of them to deal with Ginny, the boys decided to go pick up their purchases from Zonko's and head over to The Three Broomsticks.   
  
They had sat there for an hour before Hermione came in and joined them. "She's sleeping," she said as she took a seat next to Ron.   
  
The redhead looked at her with concern evident on his face as he asked, "But, is she okay? Malfoy didn't hurt her, did he?"   
  
Hermione actually giggled at that. "I think She hurt Malfoy much more than he could have her," she commented. "Her hand is a little sore, but otherwise ... I think that she's just exhausted. She told me that she hasn't been sleeping well for some time." While Ron seemed satisfied with Hermione's answer, Harry just nodded absentmindedly. He couldn't help but feel that there was more wrong than just lack of sleep.  
  
  
  
Just before dinner, Hermione checked on Ginny again and found the young girl to be sleeping soundly. Figuring that she needed the rest, they decided to not bother her.   
  
Harry felt restless, though, throughout dinner and later as he and Ron played Wizard Chess. After losing horribly, he finally decided to call it a night and head to bed.   
  
As soon as he drifted off, the nightmares began. At first, they seemed like flashes of different events that haunted him. But then, over time, they became more vivid ... more frightening. Until, finally, Harry awoke with a strangled cry, his whole body covered with sweat. He sat there in his dark room, trying to catch his breath. Try as he might, Harry could not fall back to sleep. Nor could he even close his eyes without the terrors within his mind revealing themselves. It wasn't until dawn before he finally fell asleep from total exhaustion. But even then, his sleep was very restless.  
  
  
  
Harry dragged himself out of bed fairly late the next morning. He automatically dressed and headed down to the Great Hall to eat. Ron and Hermione were already there, in the midst of what sounded like another pointless argument. When they saw Harry, they both stopped their bickering.  
  
"I was wondering if you were going to wake up today or just sleep through until tomorrow," Ron said, grinning at his friend.   
  
A low grunt was about all the answer Harry was capable of giving at the moment. Ron opened his mouth to say something more, but then stopped as he looked up past Harry. Glancing over his shoulder, Harry saw Ginny standing behind him with a nervous _expression on her face. "Can ... I join you?" she asked, more to Harry than the others. Still too out of it to speak, Harry just nodded.   
  
Ginny sat down next to him and stared at the plate in front of her. She was sitting so still and quiet that Harry nearly fell off his seat when she suddenly blurted out, "I'm So sorry about yesterday, Harry! I ... I was just so tired ... and everything was annoying me ... I took it all out on you." She turned and met his startled gaze with eyes shining with sincerity. "Please ... I hope that you aren't too angry with me."  
  
"Angry?" Harry managed to say, though his voice sounded a bit rough. He cleared his throat, then tried again. "I'm not angry with you, Ginny. I never was. I *was* worried, though. But if you say that you're all right and you can handle things on your own, then I'll respect that. I just don't want you to be angry with me."  
  
For a second, Ginny just gave him a look that made Harry feel oddly warm inside. "Oh Harry ... I'm not angry at you ... and what I said ... I just was tired and upset. I know that you're my friend and not trying to be another brother to me. Let's just put yesterday behind us. Okay?" Not really knowing what to say, Harry simply nodded in agreement.   
  
After they finished breakfast, Ginny disappeared to do some studying and Harry went with Ron and Hermione to the Gryffindor common room. The idea was that they would all study in there until lunch. However, most of the students in the room weren't studying. Between arguing chess pieces, exploding cards, and a variety of chatter and laughing, Harry found that he couldn't concentrate. Ron and Hermione's constant squabbles made it even worse. Finally, unable to take it, Harry packed up his bag and headed out _the portrait hole.   
  
He wasn't at all sure where he was going at first. At some point, he realized that he was heading for the Library. Figuring that would be as good a place as any to study, Harry went straight there. Upon entering the Library, he was surprised to find it empty. He wandered towards a back area to find a seat that would be more secluded.  
  
"Psst! ... Harry!" a voice hissed to his right. Looking over, he saw Ginny sitting at an out-of-the-way study table. She waved him over. With little hesitation, Harry went over to join her. "Too noisy to study in the Common room," she asked, already knowing the answer.   
  
"Yeah," Harry answered. "With yelling chessmen, cards exploding, and vocals by Ron and Hermione, it's a regular battle field." Ginny smiled at that. Harry glanced around the little nook they were in and said, "So ... is this where you disappear to?"  
  
Ginny shrugged. "One of the places. I like to study here. Too much distraction in the common room. And if I try to study on my bed, I just fall asleep."   
  
Harry laughed as he commented, "Gee ... I don't have to be in bed to have that happen. I just have to be studying. It's better than any Sleeping Draught Madam Pomfrey has."  
  
Ginny joined him in laughing.   
  
Looking over at Ginny's books, Harry asked, "So, what are you studying?"   
  
Ginny gave a hassled sigh as she replied, "What am I Not studying? Actually, at the moment, I'm working on a Potions essay." She made a face that clearly showed her dislike for the class.   
  
Pulling his own books out, Harry said, "I've already finished my work for that class ... though, no doubt, it won't be good enough for Snape."  
  
Ginny made a huffing sound before saying, "Nothing is good enough for Snape. Unless you're a Slytherin. Then you could turn in a whole bunch of gibberish and Still get high marks. It's just disgusting how that man favors those ... Slytherins."  
  
Harry chuckled lightly. Even though he still felt really tired, he did feel a bit better being with Ginny. They spent the next hours studying and helping each other here and there. It was shortly after 1pm when a small figure appeared next to Harry. Looking down at the new arrival, Harry exclaimed, "Dobby! What are you doing here?"   
  
"Dobby is looking for Harry Potter, sir," the house elf said quietly. "Harry Potter did not come to lunch. Harry Potter's friends worry. Then a letter from Hogsmeade comes for Harry Potter. Master Wheezy asked Dobby to look for Harry Potter ... and Dobby has found Harry Potter." Sticking his chest out, Dobby smiled proudly at them.  
  
Harry grinned back. "Yes, you have Dobby," he said, then asked, "You said that a letter came for me? Do you have it with you?" Dobby nodded solemnly, then handed Harry an envelope. Pulling out the note, Harry silently read it.  
  
"It's not anything bad, is it?" Ginny asked softly.   
  
Shaking his head, Harry replied, "No ... it's from the robe shop. They forgot to ask me whether I wanted gold, silver, or black clasps on my dress robe." Harry tried to picture the dress robe again in his mind, so he could figure out which color clasp to  
  
get. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud growling sound. Blushing with embarrassment, Harry realized that his stomach was making the sound. Next to him, Ginny was trying to quiet her giggles. Giving her a bashful look, he said, "Guess I'm sort of hungry." Suddenly his eyes opened wide as he realized something. "Oh no ... we missed lunch!"   
  
Dobby spoke up, "Dobby can help Harry Potter. Dobby will be right back!" The small elf vanished from sight. Harry and Ginny could only look at each other and shrug.   
  
Timidly, Ginny asked, "So ... which color do you think would be best?"   
  
Harry glanced back down at the note, his forehead wrinkled with uncertainty. "I really don't know. I mean ... any of them would work, I suppose." He paused a moment, then muttered, "The best color isn't listed, though."  
  
"What color is that?" Ginny asked curiously.   
  
"Scarlet," Harry answered, then added, "The robe is black with a deep scarlet speckling  
  
throughout it." Ginny made a surprised "Oohh"ing sound. Harry suddenly remembered the dress robe he had seen Ginny trying on. Attempting to sound nonchalant, he asked, "So ... were you able to find a dress robe?"  
  
Ginny sighed rather sadly. "Sort of," she answered in a hushed voice. "But I didn't get it." She got a dreamy look on her face as she went on. "It was beautiful, though. Fit perfectly ... almost as if it had been made for me." As another light sigh left Ginny's lips, she must have realized that she had said more than she'd wanted to. She blushed deeply, muttering, "But it just seemed silly to get a new dress robe when I still fit in my old one."   
  
Harry knew that wasn't the reason. But, as he also knew that none of the Weasleys liked to think of their financial status, he just nodded in understanding. Obviously changing the subject, Ginny said, "Back to Your dress robe ... why don't you just get the black clasps and then do a color changing charm on them?"   
  
"You can do that?" Harry asked with surprise.   
  
Ginny giggled as she answered, "Of course you can. It's not that difficult of a charm."  
  
Harry interrupted her, "I know that it can be done ... I just thought that it was a sixth or seventh year charm."  
  
At that comment, Ginny looked away with an odd _expression. "Well ... it is."   
  
Leaning just a bit closer to her, Harry asked quietly, "So then, how is it that You know how to do it?"   
  
"Professor Flitwick lets me work independently sometimes in class. He says that I'm a natural with charms and he lets me try out some of the more advanced charms. He's been letting me do that since my first year."  
  
Harry looked at Ginny with surprise. He'd never known that about her. The memory of three years before, when Harry and Ron were hiding in the staff room wardrobe, popped into his head. He'd wondered why Professor Flitwick had broken down like he had. Now Harry understood. The kindly professor had become attached to Ginny even back then because of the talents she had shown in his Charms class.   
  
Before he could comment on it, Dobby reappeared beside them. The house elf held out a small basket to Harry with a wide grin. "Dobby brought Harry Potter and little Miss Wheezy lunch. Now Harry Potter will not be hungry."   
  
Harry took the basket and said hesitantly, "Er ... thanks Dobby." Dobby gave them one more bright smile, then vanished. Glancing down at the basket, Harry looked quite baffled.  
  
Ginny gently took the basket away from Harry and sat it on the table. "It's a bottomless basket," she explained as she opened it up. Reaching inside, she began to pull out sandwiches, containers of various side dishes, fruit, snacks, and some pumpkin Juice. After setting everything out, Ginny commented, "Let's just hope Madam Pince doesn't come back here."   
  
Harry smiled as he nodded. They began to eat, then, as if neither had eaten in ages. What had seemed like way too much food was slowly beginning to disappear as they ate happily.  
  
At one point, Ginny made a funny face as she said, "You know, even Dobby refers to me as 'little'. You heard him ... right? 'Little Miss Wheezy' ... I'm three times as big as he is. How can he call me little?"   
  
Harry chuckled. "I think that you are just doomed to being looked at as little Ginny Weasley for the rest of your life. Just like I'll always be 'The Boy Who Lived'. It's just how people look at us."   
  
Ginny looked over at Harry with a sincere _expression as she stated, "I don't think of you that way, Harry."   
  
The two locked eyes for a moment and Harry realized that she was telling him the truth. Without thinking, he said softly, "And you're not so little anymore ... are you."   
  
Brown eyes widening, Ginny blushed. Immediately, they both looked away. Harry managed to choke out, "We ... should get our homework done ..." He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ginny nodded quickly as she opened her book. Opening his Divination text, Harry tried to concentrate on reading. His mind, however, seemed unable to keep from wandering. Before long, he'd laid his head down on top of the book and drifted off to sleep.   
  
"Harry ..."   
  
"Harry! ..."   
  
A soft voice seemed to be whispering in Harry's ear his name, over and over again. "Hmmm," he murmured, smiling at the sound floating in the air around him. He felt something small and warm press against his shoulder ... then his entire world suddenly began to shake. Eyes popping open wide, Harry sat up and looked around. "Wha ... what's going on?" he asked.   
  
Next to him, Ginny began to laugh softly. "Good morning, Sunshine," she giggled.  
  
Giving her a bashful smile, Harry said, "I fell asleep, didn't I?" Ginny nodded. "For how long?"   
  
Ginny shrugged. "About an hour and half ... almost two hours. I'd say that you probably needed it. You were out cold. Of course, Divinations tends to have that effect on people. Or, at least, Trelawney does. I know that I seem to sleep through most of her classes."  
  
Harry chuckled yet again as he replied, "That's the only way to make it through any of her lectures."   
  
As they were laughing, a stern voice suddenly cleared her throat near by. Both Harry and Ginny looked up to see Madam Pince standing there glaring down at them. "It's time to close for dinner, children. I think that it might be best if you ate down in the Great Hall instead of in here."   
  
Both Harry and Ginny muttered in agreement, then began to gather their belongings. The strict Librarian watched them until they headed out the door. Calling after them, she said, "And Mr. Potter! ... Next time you decide to nap, please do so in your dormitory. The Library is for Studying!"  
  
  
  
By the time they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, both Harry and Ginny had settled down their laughter. "You two look as if you're up to no good," the Fat Lady commented, immediately causing Harry and Ginny to start laughing again. It was difficult, but Harry finally managed to get out the password despite his laughter. The Fat Lady seemed a bit put out by their behavior, but let them enter.  
  
As most everyone was already down at dinner, the common room was empty. Both Harry and Ginny tossed down their bags and turned to head back out. Harry still had the bottomless basket in his hand, which immediately made him think of his note from the robe shop. Looking at Ginny, he made a decision to do something he never thought he'd do. "Hey Gin," Harry said, getting her attention. "I need to go send an owl to the robe shop and take the basket back to the kitchen. Why don't you go ahead and I'll meet you _down there."   
  
Ginny's face fell just a bit. But only for a second. She quickly smiled as she said, "I doubt that we need to take the basket down to the kitchen. If we take it to the Great Hall, the house elves can get it from there."   
  
Harry thought about that for a moment, then nodded. He handed Ginny the basket as he said, "Okay ... why don't you take it down? I'll run to the Owlery, then meet you for dinner. Ron and Hermione are probably down there already, arguing about where we both are or something."   
  
Taking the basket, Ginny laughed softly. "You mean anything. Those two can fight about some of the strangest things."   
  
With a nod of agreement, Harry turned to head back out the portrait hole. "Actually, Charlie told me that it was just their way of flirting." Ginny giggled at that.   
  
They walked together for a little bit, then parted ways. As Harry made his way up to the Owlery, he was amazed to find that he felt happier and more relaxed than he had for a long time. That thought just strengthened his decision to do what he was thinking earlier of doing. He reached the Owlery and pulled the note from the robe shop out of his pocket. Turning it over, he wrote:  
  
'To Madam Malakin's Hogsmeade Specialty Shop -- I believe that I will go with the black clasps. Also, I have another order for you. There is a robe in the girl's dress robe section that is black with golden sparkles. If it is still available, I would like it sent to Miss Ginny Weasley at Hogwarts. Along with it, please include a note to read as follows - "To Gin: Just a little something to help you show everyone that you're not so little anymore." Do not put a signature or any identification of who sent it in the note. Send me the bill for it and I will pay promptly.  
  
Thank-You!  
  
~~ Harry Potter  
  
  
  
Harry read the note over once, then went in search of Hedwig. The owl flew down to him when he called it. "Hello, girl," Harry said softly as he fed her a couple owl treats. Then he tied the note onto the bird's leg. Taking her to the window, Harry said, "Okay, Hedwig ... take this to the robe shop in Hogsmeade."   
  
With a quick hoot, Hedwig stretched her wings and took flight. Harry watched for a moment, then headed down to the Great Hall.   
  
When he reached the Great Hall, Harry spotted Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all sitting together. Ginny glanced up at him and smiled. As she waved shyly at him, Ron and Hermione turned to look his way too. Harry took just a couple steps towards them when a figure appeared at his side.  
  
Glancing over, he was surprised to find Cho standing next to him. "Ch-Cho!? ... when did you get back?" he asked.   
  
Cho giggled at his shocked _expression as she answered, "I just got back about ten minutes ago. I figured you might be down here, so ... I came to see you." She moved up close to him and gave Harry a long hug. As she did, she whispered, "Did you miss me?"  
  
Harry gulped, then stated, "Of course, I missed you. I'm so glad that you're back."  
  
Stepping away from him a bit, Cho gave him a long look before taking his hand in hers. "Come sit with me at the Ravenclaw table. I want to tell you all about my weekend."   
  
Without even glancing over at his three friends at the Gryffindor table, Harry silently followed Cho.   
  
It was near curfew by the time Harry and Cho left the Great Hall and headed to their separate houses. When Harry stepped through the portrait hole, he was still staring around him in a rather dazed way. He walked over to his bag, picked it up, then went to join Ron and Hermione at their usual study table.  
  
"Oh look," Ron said bitterly, "Harry has finally decided to grace us with his presence. I feel Sooo honored."  
  
Harry snapped out of his dreamy state and stared at his best friend. "What are you on about?" he asked, truly bewildered.  
  
Ron just sneered at him. "I think you know."  
  
Sighing heavily, Harry just shook his head. "No Ron ... I don't know. If I knew, then I wouldn't be asking." He noticed that Hermione was also giving him an odd look. It seemed to be a mixture of anger, disappointment, and disgust. It didn't make him feel too good. In frustration, Harry asked, "What did I do? Why are you both mad at me?"  
  
Hermione just shook her head and looked away. Ron, however, stated in a not so friendly tone, "Oh, I don't know. How about the fact that you disappeared all day without telling anyone where you were going ... and then we find out that you'd been in the Library with MY little sister. I hope you are proud of yourself. You should have seen how happy she was when she came in for dinner ... and how *crushed* she was when you just blew us all off."   
  
Closing his eyes, Harry groaned. "I totally forgot ..."  
  
But Ron interrupted. "Forgot?! Forgot?!!! How the bloody hell could you have Forgot?!! You were looking right at us ... heading straight towards us ... and then, POW! ... Cho Chang appears and we no longer exist!"   
  
Harry knew that Ron was right, but it irritated him that he was getting so mad. "It's not like that, Ron. I just hadn't seen Cho in awhile and we got to talking ... I didn't get a chance to join you until now."  
  
Ron just huffed, "Yeah ... right!"   
  
Glancing around the common room desperately, Harry noticed that Ginny was nowhere in sight. Hesitantly, he asked, "Wh-where's Ginny?"   
  
Ron looked as if he were going to bite off Harry's head for asking, but Hermione intervened. "She went to bed." Hermione looked as if she wanted to say something more, but just couldn't bring herself to.   
  
Figuring that he wouldn't get anything done now with the present atmosphere in the room, Harry stood up and said, "I think Gin had the right idea. I'm going to bed too. See you in the morning."  
  
Not waiting for their replies, Harry left.   
  
In his dormitory room, Harry quickly changed into pajamas and climbed into his bed. Lying there, he began to think about the day. The more he thought about it, the more he realized something. Despite what he had told Cho, Harry hadn't missed her all that much. In fact, he had hardly thought about her. It wasn't until she was there with him that she once again filled up his thoughts. Turning to his side, Harry began to feel himself start to drift to sleep. As he did, his thoughts seemed to shift away from the pretty Ravenclaw girl ... and more towards a certain pretty red-haired Gryffindor girl.  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
A/N: Thanks again to all those reading this fanfiction. Special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to review -- I truly appreciate your thoughts and comments. 


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
The next couple weeks seemed to fly by. Harry hadn't been able to find a chance to talk to Ginny. Ron and Hermione were civil to him, but he could tell that they were not at all happy with him. Because of all this, Harry tended to be distracted a lot. Most people just put up with it, figuring that he was stressed about the events occurring in the wizarding world.  
  
One person, however, seemed to take perverse delight in Harry's inability to concentrate. That, of course, was Professor Snape. It seemed that Harry found himself serving detention nearly every night the week before the Halloween Feast.  
  
The night of the Halloween Feast, Harry made his way sluggishly to the Great Hall. He was nearly there when he heard his name being called. Turning, he found Cho Chang running up to him, smiling brightly. "Harry! Happy Halloween! I can't believe how busy this day has been," she said breathlessly. "Do you want to come sit with me at the Ravenclaw table?"  
  
Before Harry could answer, he heard from behind him, "You know that isn't allowed, Cho. All students are to sit at their own House tables for occasions such as this."  
  
Harry glanced back at the speaker as Cho said with a roll of her eyes, "Oh, hello Li! Happy Halloween to you too." Li just looked at her without any emotions showing whatsoever. Looking at Harry, Cho went on to say, "Harry, this is my little brother, Li ..."  
  
Nodding, Harry said quickly, "I know. We've already met."  
  
Cho seemed surprised by that. Harry glanced back again at Li only to find him peering at his older sister with narrow eyes. Cho seemed to squirm a bit, then blurted out, "Well ... guess we should go in. I'll see you later, Harry! ... Li!" Not waiting for an answer, she walked away. Li just watched her for a second, then also walked off to sit at the Gryffindor table.  
  
Harry felt a bit confused by what had just occurred. Shaking his head slightly, he entered the Great Hall. He located Ron and Hermione and went over to sit with them. As he sat down, he muttered a 'Happy Halloween' to them. They both greeted him the same.   
  
He was just reaching for his glass when someone sat down next to him. Glancing over, he saw that it was Ginny. In a startled voice, he exclaimed, "Ginny! Hi!"  
  
The young girl looked shyly at him a she murmured, "Happy Halloween, Harry."  
  
A bright smile crept onto Harry's face as he quietly said back to her, "Happy Halloween, Gin!"  
  
Professor Dumbledore stood up at the head table and addressed the students. His speech was short and to the point as he said, "Happy Halloween! Eat and Enjoy!" Then silently, but smiling, he sat back down.  
  
Harry began to fill up his plate with food, suddenly feeling very hungry. Looking next to him, he noticed that Ginny was barely eating anything at all. He thought back to their picnic lunch in the Library a couple weeks before and felt suddenly guilty. Ginny had eaten a lot that day ... as well as had smiled and talked much more than usual. She'd looked more alert and energetic.  
  
Looking at her now, Harry could see the dark circles under her eyes. He also noticed that her eyes themselves seemed dull and lifeless. He couldn't help thinking back to his second year. Ginny had looked the same at that time. The thought that anything like what had happened to her could be happening again really unnerved him. He started to lean towards her to say something when Professor Dumbledore stood up once again.  
  
"May I have everyone's attention yet again, please," the elderly wizard said calmly. The hall slowly began to quiet down. "Thank you. Now then ... I just have one little announcement to make. When you all return to your dormitories, those of you who have ordered new dress robes will find them in your rooms. Even though the ball is two months away, I suggest that you try on your robes and make sure they fit. Our next Hogsmeade visit will be in two weeks and it would be a good idea to know by then if you need any new alterations or adjustments made to your garments. Now ... back to the feasting."  
  
As Dumbledore sat down, Harry heard Ginny give a soft, sad sigh. Knowing about his secret for her, Harry felt somewhat better. Without realizing it, he reached over and patted her hand lightly with his. Then leaning close to her, he said, "If you're finished, I'll walk you up to the tower ... if you'd like, that is."  
  
Harry truthfully hadn't realized he was going to say that until the words were already coming out. Ginny gave him a wide-eyed, startled look, then slowly nodded.  
  
The two of them stood up and started to walk out of the hall. From behind them, Harry heard Ron grumble, "Now what the bloody hell is that about?"  
  
Hermione just scolded him with a simple, "Ron! Honestly!"  
  
Harry ignored them, as did Ginny. They were almost to the exit when Cho suddenly appeared next to Harry. "Oh ... were you leaving already, Harry?" the girl asked with a smile, though her eyes were shooting daggers. "I'd hoped that we might be able to go for a walk or just spend some time together." She batted her eyes at him as she slid her arm through the crook of his. "I have So missed being with you, Harry."  
  
Harry just stood there looking at her with a dumbfounded _expression. He felt such an intense desire to just go off with Cho and forget about the rest of the world. But, he found himself unable to move. Something had seemed to anchor him to that spot. A movement behind Cho caused his gaze to shift away from her just slightly.   
  
Standing right behind her, Li stood watching them all closely. The young boy tapped his sister's shoulder and said, "I must speak with you, Cho. It is urgent."   
  
Cho rolled her eyes again as she muttered to Harry, "With him, it's always urgent. Will you wait?"  
  
Harry blinked a couple of times, then said in an oddly hesitant voice, "Actually, Cho, I'm going to check on my dress robe ... make sure that it fits and all. Then I've got some studying to do. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast." He said all that fast, feeling almost as if it were someone else speaking through him. Despite that, he also found that he felt somewhat relieved.  
  
Ignoring the pout on Cho's face and the glare she was aiming towards Ginny, Harry turned to his red haired friend and said, "Come on, Gin ... you've got homework to do too." He waved back at the Changs, then led Ginny away. The further they walked, the more confident Harry felt that he'd just done the right thing. Glancing at Ginny, he smiled when he saw she was peeking up shyly at him.  
  
They reached the tower and entered through the portrait hole. Timidly, Ginny asked, "So ... what color of clasps did you finally decide on?"  
  
Harry grinned at her. "Well, they should be black at this point, but ... I was sort of hoping you might help me with that color changing charm."  
  
Ginny's smile brightened as she replied, "Of course, I will. I'm really good at neons. Perhaps a bright neon green in honor of your eyes?"  
  
For a second, Harry looked at her blankly. Then, realizing from her twinkling eyes that she was just teasing, he began to laugh. "I think I'll pass on that," he said. "I'll go get my dress robe and bring it down here."  
  
Feeling light and carefree, Harry zipped up the steps and to his room. There, lying on his bed, was a large box. He opened it and pulled out the black sparkling material. Sure enough, when he checked, he found there to be black clasps. Folding the robe over his arm, he hurried back down to the Common room. When he got there, he found Ginny talking with Ron and Hermione.  
  
As he walked over, Harry was surprised when Ron looked up at him and smiled. "I hear that you're going to let Ginny experiment on your dress robe. Awful daring, aren't you?" Ginny playfully swatted her brother's arm, making him yelp.  
  
Hermione also gave Harry a kind smile as she asked, "So, does it fit okay?"  
  
Harry paused and looked down at the robe he was holding. "I ... don't know. I didn't try it on."  
  
Rolling her eyes, Hermione muttered, "Boys!" as she shook her head.  
  
Ginny gave a soft laugh, then said to Harry, "Well, just try it on now. I should be able to do the charm while you're wearing the robe."  
  
Harry looked a tad nervous about that 'should' comment, but decided to go along with her. He pulled off his black school robe and tossed it onto a nearby chair. Then, he slid on the new dress robe."  
  
"Very nice, Harry," Hermione said, glancing him over. This, of course, made Ron scowl a bit. Hermione hadn't noticed as her attention was diverted to the school robe that Harry had so carelessly tossed aside. She tsked quietly, then set about to folding it more properly.  
  
Once he had the clasps done up, Harry turned to Ginny. "Okay," he stated, feeling oddly nervous, "Work your magic on me, Gin."  
  
She smiled sweetly at him as she stepped up close to him. Pulling out her wand, Ginny muttered some words and pointed the tip to one clasp. Harry didn't look down to see what had happened. He just continued to watch Ginny's face closely. She worked quickly and soon glanced up at him. Her eyes locked with his and they stood there for a moment, oblivious to everything around them. Hearing her brother clear his throat loudly, Ginny glanced away shyly as she said, "It's all done ... let me know if it's okay."  
  
Harry tore his gaze away from Ginny's face and walked to a mirror on the wall. His smile widened when he saw the results of Ginny's charm. "It's more than okay," he stated earnestly. "It's absolutely perfect." He turned back to her and said, "Thanks, Gin!"  
  
The young girl blushed deeply as she mumbled, "It was no trouble, Harry. Glad to help."  
  
The sound of squeals and pounding feet sounded from the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory. Three fourth year girls suddenly rushed into the Common room, looking around wildly. Turning in the direction of Harry and his friends, the girls squealed again and hurriedly walked over. One of the girls was carrying a large white box. Harry immediately realized what was going on and moved off to one side.  
  
"Ginny Weasley!!!" the one girl stated excitedly. "I thought you said that you didn't order a new dress robe!"  
  
Ginny gave them all a confused look. "I-I didn't ... Why?"  
  
The same girl shoved the box at Ginny as she said, "*This* was on *Your* bed! It looks like a dress robe box to me."  
  
Looking at the box with bewilderment, Ginny said, "It can't be ... there must be some mistake ... I didn't even talk with the shop clerk."  
  
"Well, it has your name on it ... Open it!" all three of Ginny's housemates yelled at her.   
  
Ginny glanced at them, then at Hermione, Ron, and Harry. They all encouraged her with nods and smiles. Sitting down in a chair, Ginny carefully opened the box and looked inside. When she saw what was in it, she gasped and blinked her wide eyes. "It's ..." she started to say, then looked around at everyone watching her. Her eyes landed on Hermione, who was now watching her with concern. "Hermione! ... It's the dress ... the one I tried on ... the one that fit perfectly!" Hermione gave a small gasp too.  
  
One of the fourth year girls moved over to Ginny to get a peak into the box. "Is there a card or something? Maybe it's a gift?"  
  
Ron suddenly backed up as he said, "Just be careful, Ginny ... if it's from the twins and they didn't give it to you in person then it might be dangerous." Next to Ron, Harry snorted at that statement.  
  
Ginny look around in the box and finally pulled out a small note. Being urged by her classmates, she read it aloud. A soft blush lit her cheeks as she did. Harry watched her closely, his own heart pounding wildly. But his heart skipped a beat when Ginny glanced up at him with a shy look of surprise. She quickly looked away as she was asked who the gift was from. Quietly, she said, "It's not signed."  
  
Harry found himself not knowing whether he should look at Ginny or not. Even though she wasn't looking at him, he could feel the heat building in his face. Next to him, Ron made an odd noise. When he looked over at his two best friends, he found them both giving him a questioning look.  
  
"You've Got to try it on, Ginny," one of the other fourth year girls said. Ginny looked a little unsure, so Hermione stepped forward and pulled the young girl to her feet. "Come on, Ginny ... we can both try our robes on."  
  
The three fourth year girls went giggling back towards the stairs. Hermione and Ginny followed more slowly. As she passed by Harry, Ginny caught his eye and whispered, "Thank-you, Harry."  
  
The smile she gave him was so warm, shy, and sweet that he literally felt his insides melting. He smiled back as he murmured softly, "You're welcome, Gin." The girls left and Harry turned to change his robes.  
  
"Would you like to tell me what That was all about?" Ron asked, giving his friend a hard look.   
  
Harry attempted to appear innocent, but was failing miserably. With a heavy sigh, he finally said, "I got Ginny the dress robe."  
  
Ron replied sarcastically, "I figured that much out myself. What I don't understand is *Why*? Were you trying to buy her forgiveness for you being such a prat the other night at dinner?"  
  
A bit perturbed, Harry said, "Of course not! I wouldn't do that! Besides, I'd ordered the dress robe for her before that even happened." He paused a moment, noticing Ron's confused look. Quickly, he went on, "It's just that when I saw her in the dress robe at the shop, she looked so pretty ... but so sad. I really can't stand to see her sad. And we had such a fun time at the Library ... I just wanted to do something special for her ... so ... I ordered the dress robe."  
  
Harry stopped talking and looked at his friend imploringly. He really didn't want Ron to be mad at him. To his surprise, Ron just shook his head and said, "It's Your money, Harry." Then he added in a lower voice, "I can't believe you called my little sister 'pretty'." Ron paused again as if remembering something he'd seen or heard. In an accusatory tone, he said, "And what exactly did you mean by 'helping her show everyone that she's not so little any more!? How exactly is she not so little anymore, hmmm?"  
  
Giving Ron a wry look, Harry shook his head. He completely ignored Ron's question as he stated, "Well, I think I'll take my dress robe up to the room and then get some sleep. See you in the morning, Ron." Not waiting for a reply, Harry dashed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Behind him, he heard Ron muttering about the questionable sanity of his best friend.  
  
The happy feeling Harry had when he went to bed was short lived. In the morning, when he went down to breakfast, he found Cho waiting for him. She insisted that he eat with her at the Ravenclaw table. And later at lunch, she insisted on sitting with him at the Gryffindor table. The only reason that they didn't eat dinner together was because of the interfering practice times for their quidditch teams. To Harry's surprised, this became a daily thing. Cho also had managed to talk Harry into studying with her in the Library instead of their separate Common rooms.  
  
Harry was a little unsure of all this newfound attention Cho was giving to him. He had the oddest feeling that she was spending time with him just to keep an eye on him. He found himself to be greatly relieved when Cho began to have double practices for the upcoming Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff game.  
  
When the day of the game arrived in early December, Harry barely saw Cho. He only got to speak to her long enough to wish her luck, then she disappeared to the pitch. Harry went to find a spot to watch with the other Gryffindors.  
  
Ron, spotting him coming, began to wave frantically. As Harry reached the area where Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and a pretty second year Gryffindor girl were, he heard his best friend comment, "I was expecting to see you out there riding with Cho ... you two seem to be inseparable these days."  
  
Harry just rolled his eyes at Ron, then moved so that he could be in between Ginny and Neville. He smiled warmly at Ginny, who blushed as she grinned back shyly. Then he turned to say hello to Neville. The boy next to him returned the greeting, then motioned to the girl next to him. "Harry, this is Natalie McDonald. She's a second year in our house ... and my date to the New Year's Eve Ball." Harry noted that Neville's whole face shone with pride as he spoke. Turning to the girl, Neville then said, "Natalie ... this here is Harry Potter!"  
  
Natalie looked past Neville and smiled politely as she said, "Hullo, Harry ... it's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
Harry nodded a bit as he replied, "It's nice to meet you too." To his amusement, Harry noticed Natalie turn her attention back to Neville. He was fairly certain that as Neville gave his attention again to the young girl that the two had probably forgotten about everyone and everything around them.  
  
Lee Jordan's voice boomed through the air announcing the two teams. When Cho flew out onto the pitch, Harry followed her every move. She flew with a simple grace that was just amazing to watch. The Hufflepuff team flew out and Harry's gaze drifted across the different team players. It was a hollow, sad feeling to look out at the Hufflepuff team and not see Cedric. Granted, he wouldn't have been there anyway this year ... but knowing that it was because of dying and not finishing his schooling that brought his absence to the field was depressing.  
  
"Who's the Hufflepuff Seeker," Ron asked, leaning across Hermione and Ginny. Harry pointed to a girl with round, rosy cheeks and blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. "Lauren Abbott. She's Cedric's cousin ... he spent last year training her to take his spot."  
  
As Hermione watched the girl fly in loops, she asked, "Abbott? As in Hannah Abbott, from our year?"  
  
Harry nodded, saying simply, "Sisters."  
  
The game began and within the first two minutes, Ravenclaw had scored three times. Harry didn't really watch that part of the game, though. He was keeping an eye on the two Seekers ... and watching for the golden Snitch. Hufflepuff scored finally, sending the crowd into a frenzy.  
  
Still, Harry saw no signs of the tiny golden ball. Apparently, neither did Cho or Lauren, as they just hovered in the air above the game. Harry thought it was a bit odd the way Cho was staring at Lauren instead of searching for the snitch. It was hard to see, but Harry thought that it almost looked as if they were up there talking. Lauren suddenly darted away from Cho to hover above the other side of the pitch.  
  
It was right then that Harry spotted a golden sparkle in the sky. Sure enough, the Snitch was hanging right near the far goal post on the other side of the field. Both Cho and Lauren were in position so that they should have seen it ... but, neither of them moved.  
  
Cho suddenly flew over to Lauren and obviously said something. Even from the distance he was at, Harry could tell that the Hufflepuff girl's reaction was filled with anger. When Harry glanced back to the far end, he saw that the Snitch had disappeared.  
  
Scoring of the Quaffles went on for both teams over the next half hour. It was currently Ravenclaw, 160, to Hufflepuff, 90. And the Snitch had yet to make another appearance. Harry continued to watch the two Seekers bantering in the air above. He didn't know why, but their behavior really bothered him.  
  
Next to Harry, Ginny timidly tapped his arm. He glanced down at her and smiled lightly. "Um, Harry?" she said, looking a tad uncomfortable. "I didn't think that Seekers were supposed to taunt each other."  
  
Harry's smile faded as his _expression clearly showed his confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
Ginny nodded towards the two girls as she replied, "Cho's taunting Lauren. She's spotted the Snitch three times now, but hasn't gone after it. Cho just told Lauren that she knows that Lauren's not even trying and she doesn't want her pity."  
  
Giving Ginny a startled look, Harry asked, "How in the world do you know what they're saying?"  
  
With a soft blush, Ginny ducked her head a bit. Hesitantly, she answered, "An Auditory Amplifier charm ... Professor Flitwick showed me how to do it. It lets you hear what is being said at far off distances."  
  
Harry would have liked to have heard more about the charm, but just then the crowd began to yell wildly. Looking back at the pitch, Harry saw Cho and Lauren flying neck and neck after a small golden glint near the stands right in front of the Gryffindors. Harry began to yell encouragement to Cho as he watched them get closer. He was barely aware that Ginny had grabbed onto his arm.  
  
"They're going to crash into the stands!" she shouted, terrified.  
  
"No, they won't," Harry said reassuringly. "Just watch." Without realizing it, he placed his hand over Ginny's and patted it comfortingly.  
  
Cho and Lauren were just a fingertip away from the Snitch. They both had begun to reach out for it. Just then, however, Cho glanced in Harry's direction. Her _expression darkened as her eyes locked with his. Harry longed to scream out for her to concentrate on the Snitch, but he knew it was too late. That small distraction slowed Cho down just enough for Lauren to squeeze by the Ravenclaw Seeker and grab the golden Snitch.  
  
A hush fell over the stadium, then the Hufflepuffs broke into joyous celebration. Cho, realizing what happened, turned her broom and headed for the locker room. As Harry watched her fly away, he suddenly realized that it'd been him that had distracted her. He also realized, right at that moment, that he still had his hand covering Ginny's, which was lightly laid upon his arm.  
  
Harry knew that he should move his hand away. But he also knew that if he did, then Ginny would move her hand away too ... and he didn't want that. He didn't understand why, but it was comforting to have her so close. Harry glanced down at their hands, then looked up to find Ginny watching him quietly.  
  
Ron cleared his throat to gain their attention. Immediately, Harry and Ginny both pulled their hands away, though Harry did let out a heavy sigh as he did. He looked over at Ron, who was watching him with stern eyes. "Sorry that Cho's team didn't win," Ron said, not changing expressions.  
  
"Yeah," Harry finally muttered. "I better go make sure she's okay. See you all later." Feeling awkward and a bit confused, Harry left the stands.  
  
Harry made his way down to the locker rooms to find Cho. He was still a few feet away when he heard her voice. She was clearly yelling angrily at someone. "Don't Give Me That!" she nearly screamed. Harry caught sight of her and was surprised to see Cho and Lauren nose to nose in a heated argument. Lauren was a bit taller than Cho. Still, the small Ravenclaw girl stood up fearlessly to the larger girl. In a stern voice, Cho said, "You weren't even Trying up there ..."  
  
"*I* wasn't trying!? HA!" Lauren replied, equally upset. "That's Rich coming from You!" Imitating Cho's manner of speaking, she went on, "I spotted the Snitch three times already ..." Lauren's _expression turned to an angry glare as she stated, "If that were the case, the why the bloody hell didn't you go get it!?"  
  
"Because!" Cho yelled back shrilly, "I Knew that you were Purposely ignoring the Snitch so I could catch it ... you just feel sorry for me ... you wanted me to win so that I wouldn't have to think ... to remember ..."  
  
Lauren's _expression softened as she finished for the distraught girl, "So you wouldn't have to think of or remember Cedric." Cho nodded silently, trying desperately to hold back the tears that were filling her eyes. Hesitantly, Lauren placed a comforting hand onto Cho's shoulder. "I wouldn't do that," she said gently. "I have too much respect for the memory of my cousin. He was one of my best friends ... and I miss him too. I guess that I just was a bit distracted during the game."  
  
Cho sighed lightly, "Yeah ... same here. It wasn't as simple to go back out there as I thought it would be."  
  
Harry suddenly began to feel as if he were intruding on something very private. Silently, he backed away. He didn't think that either Cho or Lauren would want to see him right then ... seeing as he was the reason for Cedric not being there with them any longer. Figuring that Cho would want some time on her own, Harry walked all alone back up to the castle.  
  
  
  
tbc 


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Please don't sue.  
  
A/N: I wanted to give another quick thanks to all readers of The Prophecy: HD. I know that I'm horrid at responding to your reviews, but they do matter to me. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. I'll get right to typing up the next one. K-P :)  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Harry was never quite sure if he'd done the right thing by giving Cho some space after the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff game. She seemed to take on two personalities after that. Some times, she would be her normal, warm, sweet self; but other times, she seemed to be so distant and cold. Harry could only think that she was still mourning Cedric's death to some degree. Because of this, he decided to put no pressure on her whatsoever. If she wanted to spend time with him, then he would spend time with her. If she wanted him to leave her alone, then that's what he did.  
  
The days flew by and soon the Hogwart's landscape was covered with snow. One last Hogsmeade trip was planned for the students so they could do some holiday shopping. Most all of the students were spending the holiday at the school since it was one of the safest locations at the time.  
  
Because of this, Professor Dumbledore and the other teachers went out of their way to make the whole castle look quite festive. Even Professor Snape had a tree in his classroom. Of course, this tree seemed to take delight in tossing it's decorations at the Gryffindor students. Then Professor Snape would take delight in deducting house points from Gryffindor for unruly destruction of property.  
  
On the last trip to Hogsmeade, Cho had insisted that Harry spend the whole day together in town. Apparently, Cho loved to shop and it wasn't long before Harry found himself bogged down with packages. He was able to get some shopping done himself, though it wasn't easy. The whole time they shopped, Harry kept watching for Ron, Hermione, the twins, or Ginny.  
  
He, of course, met up with Fred and George in Zonko's. As he wandered around the store with the twins, they told him about what little news they'd heard from the outside. Fred and George were great at finding out the latest happenings, although Harry had no idea how they did it.  
  
"Something's about to happen," Fred told him as they examined a nose-biting tea cup. "No one is sure what exactly ... or when. But there's a lot of moving around going on with the Death Eaters. There's still no idea where You-Know-Who is, but he won't hide forever. He'll show his ugly muzzle some time ... we just have to be ready for it."  
  
Whenever the twins said things like that, Harry always got the impression that they were much more involved in the war activities than they let on. From the doorway where she'd been standing, Cho cleared her throat to get Harry's attention. He could tell that she didn't like being in this shop.  
  
George grinned mischeviously as he whispered to Harry, "The little woman's tugging on your leash, mate." Fred laughed at that, though Harry just scowled at the two.  
  
After a hasty good-bye, Harry and Cho left the shop. It was rather late when they finally stopped at the Three Broomsticks for some lunch. Cho choose a small secluded table for them in one corner. Truthfully, Harry had been hoping to see Ron and Hermione there. Not that he didn't want to be alone with Cho ... he just found that he missed his friends.  
  
They never showed up, though. As Harry and Cho left the pub, he asked, "Where to now?"  
  
Cho gave him a dazzling smile as she slipped her hand into his. This was rather surprising as she rarely did that sort of thing. Giving Harry an imploring look, she said, "Well, we could go for a little walk. There's a lovely little area a mile or so past the Shreiking Shack ..."  
  
Harry gawked at her as he replied, "A mile or so? Cho!? That would mean that it's outside of the Hogsmeade boundries. We aren't allowed out of Hogsmeade."  
  
Cho's smile quickly faded into a pout; one that made Harry very uncomfortable. He had the feeling that the more she looked at him like that, the more likely he'd do whatever she asked. "Fine! All right! We'll go to this spot," he said with resignation.  
  
They walked hand and hand through the town to the very outskirts where the Shreiking Shack was. Harry was not at all happy about this little excursion, but he didn't want to ruin things for Cho. He was just asking how she'd found this place they were heading to when he heard his name being called. Turning, he saw two people walking towards them.  
  
He could tell that the two people were adults, but they didn't look like any of the professors from the school. Still, they seemed somehow familiar. The one person, who Harry could now see was male, yelled, "Not off on another quest to save the fair maiden, are you Harry?"  
  
Hearing this, Harry broke into a wide grin. he dropped Cho's hand as he shouted, "Professor Lupin!" Then he took off at a quick trot to where his friend and past professor was. "What brings you to Hogsmeade? Is everything okay? Si ... Snuffles is okay, right?" Grabbing the professor's hand, he shook it firmly as he added, "It's so Good to see you!"  
  
Remus laughed. "Good to see you too, Harry! Let me catch my breath before I try to answer all of that." The older wizard gave his past pupil a friendly hug.   
  
As Harry pulled away, he glanced over at Remus' companion. "Ms. Jensun!" he exclaimed, surprised to see the woman from Lancer's Inn.  
  
Shifting a box of some sort in her arms, Tilly said with a smile, "Hello, Harry ... and it's Tilly, not Ms. Jensun. How are you doing, Harry?"  
  
Harry shrugged lightly, not sure how to answer that. "As best as I can be, considering." He turned his attention back to Remus and asked, "How is it out there? Are things getting any better ... or worse?"  
  
Remus gave him a steady gaze before answering. "They're neither ... and yet both. At times we have some breakthroughs. But then, we usually have a set back of some kind as well. To answer one of your earlier questions, Snuffles is just fine."  
  
Harry glanced nervously over at Tilly, wondering if she knew about Sirius. When he looked back at Remus, who slightly shook his head, he knew that she hadn't been let in on the secret.   
  
A soft voice suddenly said from behind him, "Hello Professor Lupin."  
  
Harry realized that in his excitement of seeing Remus, he'd forgotten all about Cho. "I'm sorry," he said, moving so the Ravenclaw girl could join them. "Cho, this is Tilly Jensun. Tilly, this is Cho Chang."  
  
It was generally customary for two people, when introduced, to shake hands. But that didn't happen. Instead, Tilly gave a simple nod of her head as she said a low hello. And Cho, although smiling, seemed to be eyeing Tilly ... almost suspiciously. It was a bit uncomfortable for a moment until Remus spoke up. "Ms. Chang, it is very nice to see you again."  
  
Turning to Harry, Remus went on to say, "We are actually here to see Hermione Granger. You wouldn't happen to know where we could find her, would you?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I've been trying to find her and Ron all day. They were supposed to come into Hogsmeade to get a Butterbeer with us at the Three Broomsticks, but I haven't seen them at all."  
  
"Well," Remus said, looking around, "Maybe we'll just wander up to see Dumbledore and look for Ms. Granger there."  
  
Harry nodded, then took a step as if to follow. "Harry?" Cho called, causing him to pause. "Aren't we going to go for our walk? I'm sure that Professor Lupin will find Hermione on his own without any problem."  
  
For a second, Harry opened his mouth to protest. But almost as quickly, he closed it again. He was starting to get that odd feeling again; like he was getting tired. It passed after a moment, leaving him somewhat pale.  
  
"You know, Harry," Tilly said, moving up to him. "You look a bit flushed." She placed the inside of one wrist onto the boy's forehead. "Well, you don't feel feverish, but ... I don't think that it would be a good idea for you to go out for a walk. What do you think, Jack?"  
  
Harry gave her an odd look, trying to figure out who she was talking to. Remus, however, chuckled lightly as he said, "No, Tilly, I don't suppose he should."  
  
Cho had an expression on her face that seemed to be a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and annoyance. But, she didn't say a word; just followed as they all headed back to Hogwarts. Harry noticed that she was once again acting cold and distant. All he could do was sigh as he thought, 'Oh well ... back to the ice house, I guess.'  
  
As they entered the main entrance of the school, they were greeted by the sinister glare of Professor Snape. He looked at Remus with as much spite as he did Harry. Then his eyes drifted to Tilly. "Lupin ... what brings you back?" Snape asked, though he was still scrutinizing Tilly. "And you have a ... *friend* with you?"  
  
Harry glanced over at Tilly to see her watching Professor Snape with an expression of amusement. She stepped forward before Remus could say anything and held out her hand. "Hello. I'm Matilda Jensun ... but you may call me Tilly. And you are?"  
  
Hesitantly, Professor Snape reached out to shake the woman's hand. "Professor Snape ... Severus Snape. I teach Potions here." He paused only a moment before asking, "Jensun? Is that the same of Ari Jensun?"  
  
Tilly smiled widely at the name. "Pappa Ari ... yes. The same. Have you met Pappa?"  
  
Professor Snape shook his head as he replied, "Only have heard of him."  
  
Giving a small laugh, Tilly stated, "Yes, well ... Pappa Ari has a reputation of being someone whose heard of a lot."  
  
Remus shifted slightly next to Tilly, gaining everyone's attention. "We really need to find Ms. Granger."  
  
Tilly made a face at him as she muttered, "You're just no fun, Jack ..."  
  
In an equally low voice, Remus muttered back, "I should have listened to Matteau and left you back at the Inn."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow, listening intently to the two adults' conversation. To his surprise, Tilly growled back, "Hey Jack ... bite me!"  
  
"I don't think that you want him to do that," a voice drawled from behind Professor Snape. Everyone turned to see Draco Malfoy standing there. With a a smug impression, he walked up to them as he added, "At least not unless you want to have a dog's life like him."  
  
Both Remus and Harry were watching Malfoy carefully, while Professor Snape looked positively bored with the conversation. Tilly, however, began to laugh lightly. "Oh my ... unbelievable! You just have to be related to Narcissa somehow. What's your name?"  
  
Malfoy glanced her over dubiously before answering, "Draco Malfoy."  
  
At that, Tilly looked absolutely delighted. "I knew it ... Lucius Malfoy's son, right?" Draco just nodded, somewhat dumbfounded. Tilly went on, "You look so much like your mother. Of course, it's been years since I've seen her. How is she?"  
  
Malfoy seemed a bit stunned that this person, who appeared to be with some of the people he disliked the most, actually knew his parents. In a rather haughty tone, he said, "Who are You? And how do you know my family?"  
  
To everyone's surprise, Professor Snape tutted him. "Where are you manners, boy? That is no way to speak to a lady ... Now, answer Ms. Jensun!"  
  
At the mention of Tilly's name, Malfoy's eyes went wide and his mouth actually dropped open a bit. "I ... I didn't realize ... I ..." he stuttered, but Tilly just waved it off.  
  
"And why should you have? Now, how is your mother? Would you tell her that Tilly says hello the next time you write or speak to her?"  
  
Malfoy nodded, then answered in a hushed tone, "Mother is doing fine. I'll be sure to write to her tonight."  
  
Remus rolled his eyes as he huffed, "If we are all done here visiting, can we please finish what we came here to do?"  
  
Tilly sighed deeply. "Werewolves are So snippish."  
  
Growling, Remus snapped, "Just think of how *snippish* I'm going to be in a couple of days if we don't get back to the Inn." Harry gave Remus a confused look, but the man didn't seem to notice.  
  
Tilly said a quick good-bye to Professor Snape and Malfoy, then left with Remus. Harry and Cho quietly followed from behind. Speaking up, Harry said, "You know, chances are that Hermione is up in the Gryffindor common room studying. We should check there first."  
  
Remus nodded, then he and Tilly began to walk again. Harry stated to follow, but stopped when he realized that Cho hadn't moved. "You coming?" he asked curiously.  
  
Cho shook her head. "I should let you visit with your friends. Perhaps I'll see you at dinner."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to argue, but instead he simply said, "Okay. I'll see you later, then." Cho gave him an odd look, then turned and walked quickly back the way they had come. Harry frowned as he watched her go. He couldn't understand why things seemed to tense between them. Sighing, he headed off after Remus and Tilly.  
  
When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Harry gave the password and the three entered in. Upon entering, Harry could immediately tell that something was wrong. An odd feeling hung in the air.   
  
"Is this place always so messy?" Tilly asked, pointing to a table that had books and papers scattered across it. Some were even on the floor. And one chair had been tipped over as if someone had flung it aside in a hurry.  
  
Harry went over to look closer at the books and papers. As he glanced over it all, he stated, "Something's not right ... these are Hermione's. She'd never leave her things like this ... unless she absolutely had to."  
  
Remus glanced at a book on the floor by the fallen chair. "This here is Ron's. They must have been together."   
  
Harry didn't wait a second more, but bound up the stairs to the boy's dormatory. He rushed into his room only to find it empty. There was nothing to tell him what had happened. Harry went out and pounded on some of the other dorm rooms, but no one was around. Finally, he gave up and went back down to the common room.  
  
Just as Harry was about to try to go up the stairs leading to the girl's dorms, which he knew was against the rules, the portrait hole opened and Hermione stepped inside the common room. "Harry Potter! Where do you think *you're* going?!"  
  
Turning around, Harry fired out a round of questions at the sight of his friend. "Where were you? Are you alright? Is Ron alright? What happened down here?"  
  
Hermione just looked wide-eyed at Harry as he sprouted off his questions. From behind her a voice said, "Budge up, Hermione ... we can't get through." Hermione quickly moved to let Ron and Ginny step into the room.  
  
Harry was about to run through the list of questions again when he noticed how pale Ginny looked. Stepping towards her, he asked in a hushed voice, "Gin? ... Are you okay?"  
  
Ginny looked up at him and gave a weak smile. It was Ron, though, that answered for her. "No ... she's not alright ... no matter what she says. We had to take her to the hospital wing after she passed out at the top of the girls' dorm staircase. It was a good thing that Li kid was where he was and caught her when she fell or Ginny might have seriously hurt herself."  
  
Going to the other side of the younger girl, Harry helped guide her over to one of the couches. As she sat down, he asked, "You're not sick, are you? Why'd you pass out?"  
  
Ginny leaned back against some of the cushions that Hermione had brought over and sighed. "I'm not sick, Harry. Just very tired. I ... haven't been able to sleep well. That's all."  
  
Frowning, Harry didn't really think that was all there was to it. He couldn't voice his doubt, however, because Gin had changed the subject by asking, "How come you're back from Hogsmeade?"  
  
In his concern for his friends, Harr had forgotten that Remus and Tilly were in the room with them. Looking up a the two adults, who were standing off to the side so they'd be out of the way, he waved for them to come over.  
  
When Ron and Hermione saw who he was waving to, they both smiled. To Ginny, Harry said, "We've got some visitors." She looked at him with confusion, then turned around to see who the others were looking at.  
  
As soon as she spotted them, Ginny broke out into a huge smile. "Professor Lupin! Tilly! Oh, how wonderful to see you!" She attempted to stand up, but was rather wobbly doing so. Harry, who was the closest, reached out to steady her. Even though she appeared to have gained her balance, he didn't move his one hand from where it lay protectively on the small of her back. Ginny didn't seem to mind having it there either.  
  
Remus and Tilly walked over to the group as the past DADA teacher said, "You should sit back down, Ginny. And remember ... it's Remus, not Professor Lupin."  
  
Ginny just nodded, but she remained on her feet. Taking just one step forward, she gave Remus a warm hug. Harry could tell that Remus wasn't used to having people hug him ... although he didn't look as if he didn't like the young girl's affection. As soon as she let go of Remus, Ginny turned and gave Tilly a hug.  
  
To all of their surprise, Ginny didn't let go of the older woman. Instead, as Tilly murmured comforting words, Ginny buried her face in the woman's shoulder and began to cry softly. Gently, Tilly led the young girl back to the couch. She glanced up then at Remus and said, "I'll take care of this ... you take care of the business we came here for."  
  
Remus nodded solemnly and went to retrieve the box Tilly had been holding earlier. When he sat it down, Harry was startled to see it shake. There was something alive in there. He was almost certain of that. Ron and Hermione moved closer to the table to get a better view of what Remus was doing.  
  
"We actually were coming here to see you, Hermione," Remus said, no longer bothering with formalities.  
  
"Me?" Hermione questioned, "Why were you coming to see me?"   
  
Remus began to open the box as he said, "Apparently a good friend of all of ours happened across a good friend of yours. We thought you might be missing him, so ..." With that, he turned around holding something yellow and furry.  
  
tbc 


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Don't sue - it's really not worth it to try.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"CROOKSHANKS!" Hermione cried out as she leaped forward. The cat Remus was holding weakly held up his head to look at her. Seeing how thin and sickly the animal looked, Hermione immediately calmed down as she asked, "Oh ... is he all right? He's so thin!" Carefully, she reached out and took the cat from Remus.  
  
"He'll be okay. Just needs a good diet, love, and some time to heal," Remus told her, watching as Crookshanks rubbed contently against Hermione's cheek.  
  
From behind Hermione, Ron asked, "Where'd you find him?"  
  
Remus glanced over at Tilly and Ginny, who appeared to be deep in conversation. In a low voice he answered, "I didn't find him. Snuffles did. Snuffles came to stay with me during the last full moon. I was pretty out of it, so I was rather surprised to find Snuffles holding Crookshanks the morning after my transformation. He said that Crookshanks had stumbled out of a thicket and collapsed in front of his paws."  
  
Hermione was now crying softly as she gently hugged and kissed her cat. Crookshanks seemed to be enjoying the attention as he was purring rather loudly. Ron asked what they all were thinking. "How did Crookshanks get to where ... Just where were you guys?"  
  
Looking pointedly at Harry, Remus answered, "In this little wooded area near the town of Sandwich. Tilly's been mixing my Wolfsbane potion for me lately."  
  
Harry had been listening to all of this quietly; but as he realized something, he spoke up. "Crookshanks must of followed Ginny and my scents. He must have taken off when the attack began ... probably was following us from the ground. When we got mixed up in that fog ..."  
  
Ron cut in, "He didn't know how to follow us. He probably wandered around until he picked up your scent. Who knows how long that took."  
  
"Oh, you poor, poor baby," Hermione cooed softly. Both Ron and Harry had to look away to hide their smiles. "I'm going to take you upstairs right now, then I'm going to get you some yummies from the kitchen ... and some milk too." Glancing up at Remus, she said, "Thank you, Remus ... thank you for bringing him back to me. When you see Snuffles, tell him I said thank you, please."   
  
Remus just smiled as he nodded.  
  
Tilly stood up from the couch and announced that Ginny should go up to bed. Harry watched as the woman helped lead Ginny up the stairs to the girl's dormatory. Hermione, carrying Crookshanks, followed behind them. Once the three females were gone, Remus, Harry, and Ron went over to the couch and sat down. As they watched the flames in the fireplace, Ron said, "Crookshanks doesn't look too good."  
  
Remus nodded. "You should have seen the poor thing when we first found him. He couldn't even walk. Tilly fed him with this dropper until he was strong enough to eat on its own. We just now felt that he was strong enough to journey here. To be honest, I hadn't expected the little guy to make it." Unable to respond, Ron and Harry just sat there quietly, each lost in his own thoughts.  
  
The portrait opened and Professor McGonnagall swept into the common room. Spotting Remus, she stated, "So, it is true ... You're back."  
  
Standing up, Remus walked over to her as he replied, "Not to stay, Minerva."  
  
Professor McGonnagall nodded solemnly, then asked, "How is it ... out there?"  
  
The sigh Remus gave was heavy and sad. "It feels like it's all at a stand still most days. Then suddenly, everything just erupts into chaos."  
  
"Voldemort thrives on chaos," a voice said from the portrait hole. They turned to see Professor Dumbledore entering into the room. "So do the Dementors, for that matter," he added, then reached out to shake Remus' hand. "It's good to see you again. When will you be able to come teach for a spell here? We need all the best teachers ... especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
Remus nodded grimly. "Who do you have now?" he asked in sincere curiosity.   
  
"Professor Larson Halls ... A good man, excellent wizard ... but known to drone on and on till the students are in a near trance."  
  
Chuckling, Remus said quietly, "Well, he and Professor Binns should get along nicely."   
  
Professor Dumbledore laughed lightly as well. "True ... true ..." The headmaster became somewhat more serious as he went on to say, "Professor Hall is going to have to leave at the end of January ... a project for the Order. We could really use your teaching skills."  
  
"I don't know," Remus answered, "I have so much that I can help with out in the field ..."  
  
Ron and Harry both jumped up at this time to add their two knuts worth. "Come on, Remus," Ron stated imploringly. "You're the best teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts that we've ever had ... and we've had quite a few, you know."  
  
Harry nodded as he added, "Just think ... you'll be one of the very few that can say that you've taught more than one year of the subject at Hogwarts. That's a *rare* distinction."  
  
Professor McGonnagall began to tut at them. "This isn't any of your concern, Mr. Weasley ... Mr. Potter. It is really up to Professor Dumbledore and Professor Lupin."  
  
But, both Ron and Harry ignored her as they gave Remus their most pleading, begging, puppy-eyed faces. The man looked at them for a moment, then laughed. "I have to admit that it would be nice to be back. But, I really need to take care of some things." Before the two boys could protest, the man added quickly, "I'm not saying no ... I need to look into it first to see if it's even possible."  
  
"If *what's* even possible?" a female voice asked. Tilly was just coming down from the girl's dormatory and had overheard the tail end of the discussion. Before Remus could explain, however, Tilly's eyes grew wide and so did her smile. "Cousin Alby! she cried, running down the remaining steps and straight at Professor Dumbledore.  
  
The old professor just smiled as he pulled the young woman into a hug. "Hello, little Tilly ... although, I suppose I can't call you that anymore. Just look at you. You've grown up. Has it been that long since I last saw you?"  
  
Tilly nodded. "It was when Pawpa and Mermi passed on. I was just fourteen."  
  
Professor Dumbledore nodded too as he murmured, "Ah, yes." He must have just remembered that Professor McGonagall was in the room for he quickly said, "Have you met our Transfigurations teacher, Tilly? No? ... This here is Professor Minerva McGonagall."  
  
The female professor and Tilly shook hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor McGonagall," Tilly stated politely.  
  
"Minerva," Professor Dumbledore went on, "This here is Ms. Matilda Jensun ... otherwise known as Tilly."  
  
Professor McGonagall seemed to freeze momentarily when she heard the young woman's full name. With intense curiosity, she asked, "You wouldn't happen to be related to a Matteau Jensun, would you?"  
  
Tilly gave a small groan before replying, "My brother." It seemed evident from her tone that Tilly wasn't overly fond of her brother.  
  
This seemed shocking to Professor McGonagall, for she went on to say, "Your brother is an amazing man, Ms. Jensun. Such talent ..."  
  
This whole time, Ron and Harry were standing there looking very confused. Seeing this, Tilly explained, "My brother, Matteau, is famous for his transformation skills and ability to do animagi."  
  
Professor McGonagall snorted in a very unlady like manner as she said, "The boy is a genius. He has three animagus forms. That's almost unheard of. Normally if a person can master one form then he or she is lucky."  
  
Tilly still seemed bored with the topic. Professor Dumbledore chuckled as he gazed affectionately at the young woman. "You'll have to excuse Tilly, Minerva. She has had to live in her brother's shadow all her life. Though, I do believe that she could out shine him any time she wanted."  
  
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at that. Tilly just rolled her eyes. "You are too kind, cousin," she stated, patting the old man's arm.  
  
"Are you two Really cousins," Ron blurted out before he realized what he was doing. Both Professor Dumbledore and Tilly grinned at him. "Technically, Cousin Alby here is cousins with my great, great, ... there's another great, isn't there?" She glanced questioningly at Professor Dumbledore who just nodded. "Okay ... great, great, great Grandfather, Pappa Ari. But, I like to call him cousin Alby."  
  
Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he asked, "How is Ari doing these days?"  
  
Tilly laughed. "He's doing fine, except the old coot has got married again ... Eleventh time. I think he's trying for a dozen."  
  
"Yes, well," Professor Dumbledore said, grinning mischeviously. "He's just trying to give you and Matteau some hints."  
  
Scolffing at that, Tilly said, "Matteau is the one that's got to settle down and have a family ... a son to be exact. That's the only way the family name will be passed on."  
  
As Tilly's tone was turning a bit defensive, Professor Dumbledore decided to drop the subject and move on to something else. Turning to Remus, he asked, "So, what exactly brought you two here to Hogwarts?"  
  
"We were returning Ms. Granger's cat, Crookshanks, to her," Remus answered.   
  
"Ah ... yes. Very good," the older professor stated, then asked, "Will you stay for dinner?"  
  
Remus and Tilly both looked at each other before they answered together, "Sure ... Why not!"  
  
Professor Dumbledore beamed at the two adults, then said, "Most wonderful! I'll just inform the kitchen. Minerva? Would you care to accompany me?" Professor McGonagall didn't really look like she wanted to, but she left with the headmaster.  
  
Hermione came down about the same time and announced that Crookshanks was all comfortable and sound asleep.   
  
"Hopefully Ginny's doing the same," Tilly commented.  
  
Harry asked in a serious tone, "Did Ginny tell you what's wrong? Why she's not sleeping?"  
  
Sighing, Tilly replied, "She didn't tell me much ... just that she's been having a lot of bad dreams." Harry wasn't positive, but it seemed as if Tilly was holding something back. As she talked, he noticed that she kept giving him an odd look ... almost sympathetic.  
  
Remus and Tilly stayed for dinner. Shortly after checking in on Ginny, they left. After they were gone, Harry stayed in the Gryffindor common room with Ron and Hermione. It wasn't until late when Li came through the portrait hole looking completely worn out that Harry thought to ask, "How exactly did Li help Ginny earlier?"  
  
Hermione answered without even looking up from her book. "He was standing by the bottom of the steps to the girl's dormatory when Ginny fell. He jumped up the stairs and caught her before she hit her head. It he hadn't, Ginny would have tumbled down several steps."  
  
Harry wasn't sure why, but hearing this made him ... almost angry. He just wasn't sure who or what he was angry at.  
  
Ginny ended up resting a lot over the remaining days till Christmas. But, on Christmas morning, no one could sleep in. The whole castle seemed to fill with excitement. Harry, himself, sat in his bed staring at his pile of presents for a several minutes. He'd never before seen so many presents.  
  
"Well," Ron said from behind his own pile of packages, "Aren't you going to open them?"  
  
That was all the prompting Harry needed. Soon, he was ripping paper as quickly and loudly as the other boys in the room were. Seamus started wadding up his scrap wrapping paper and throwing the paper balls at the other boys. It wasn't long before the four others joined in and the room became a haze of flying wrapping paper. Using their wands, they made the balls on the floor whip around too. However, when Neville accidentally caught one of the balls on fire as it past by a lit candle, they decided to end the paper fight.  
  
Harry began to sort through his gifts again, just going over who gave him what. Ron had given him a huge bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Hermione gave him a book on the World Quidditch Cup History. The twins, of course, gave him a large assortment of joke and trick items ... including more Sugar Coating Glamour Cubes. Mrs. Weasley sent him another sweater, cream colour with emerald green trimming. She also sent some cookies.  
  
The letter and package from Hagrid was a wonderful surprise for Harry. He was thrilled to hear from him. Though Harry's large friend couldn't say where he was or what he was doing, Hagrid did let Harry know that he was doing okay. This was quite a relief to Harry as he'd been very worried. Along with the letter came a box of chocolates ... regular muggle chocolates.  
  
Sirius and Remus sent him a book on animagi. And Tilly sent along a tin of Peanut Butter Chocolate fudge. Ginny's present had been a surprise, too. For one, he hadn't expected anything from her. And secondly, he knew at once that she had made it for him. With a smile, Harry rolled out the long knitted scarf made of a soft cream coloured yarn. There were gold threads weaved throughout the end tassles and his initials, H.J.P., were embrodered on either end. Not really thinking of what he was doing, Harry put it around his neck. As he held a bit of it to his face to feel its softness, he thought, 'It even smells like her.'  
  
Harry picked up Cho's present. It was a simple tie tack with the Hogwarts emblem on it. He set it aside so he could be sure to wear it with his outfit for breakfast. He was starting to clear off the bed when he noticed one small package that was still unopened.   
  
Picking it up, Harry figured from its shape and feel that it was a book. He glanced at the paper and gasped. It was from Percy. A small note had been added underneath Percy's name. It read,   
  
'Harry -- Percy had got this for you. We found several gifts for different people among his things. We thought we'd send it on to you for him. -- Mr. Weasley'  
  
For a long moment, Harry just sat there staring at the note. Percy had bought him a gift ... before he'd died. He couldn't imagine what it could be. Carefully, almost hesitantly, he unwrapped it. Inside, he found a book titled, 'The History of Ancient Wizards and Witches: The Prophecies and Legends'. It didn't seem like the type of gift that Percy would give. Opening it to the front cover, he found an inscription.  
  
'To Harry -- Just something to help you accept who you are. Not everyone who has been expected to do great things felt they were the best one to do so. Believe in yourself, Harry! I know that I and my whole family believe in you! -- In Courage & Honour! -- Percy'  
  
Harry read the inscription over and over. Ron interrupted his silence by saying, "You got something from him too." Harry just nodded lightly, then held up the book. To his surprise, Ron held up a book, too. "It's on being a prefect and Head Boy," the redhead said rather sadly. "He expected quite a lot of me, huh?"  
  
The two boys were rather silent as they got dressed for the day. Their mood lingered as they headed down to breakfast. Hermione and Ginny were already there ... and from the looks of it, Ginny must have got something from Percy too. As the boys sat across from them, Hermione smiled softly and said, "Merry Christmas, Ron ... Harry."  
  
Both boys muttered back Christmas greetings. Ron nudged his sister's foot with his own as he said, "Hey, Ginny ... Merry Christmas!"  
  
Ginny finally looked up at them. Her eyes were a bit red, a few tears remaining there. She tried to give them a weak smile, but just couldn't do it. Knowing what was causing her sadness, Harry told Ginny, "We got something from him too." It was blunt, but it seemed to calm Ginny's tears.  
  
"What did he give to you?" Ginny asked softly, looking up at Harry.  
  
"A book ... something about ancient wizards and witches," Harry answered.   
  
Ron frowned as he said, "Yeah ... and he gave me a book on prefects and Head Boys."  
  
Hermione gave him an odd look, then said, "He gave you that?" As Ron shot her a rather perturbed look, she quickly added, "It just sounds like the type of book that I'd get. Instead, he got me a book on Charms, Spells, and Potions to help with stress."  
  
While Ron and Hermione were talking, Harry had been watching Ginny. In a quiet voice, he asked, "What did Percy get you?"  
  
She didn't look up right away. Ginny sat for a moment, seeming to contemplate her hands as she wrung them. In a soft voice, she eventually said, "He got me a diary ... a regular muggle style diary. He wrote that I should never be worried about letting out my feelings and fears and dreams ... just be more careful who I share them with."  
  
No one said anything. No one knew *what* to say, actually, so they sat in silence. A loud noise sounded overhead and all in the Great Hall looked up to see a large group of owls flying in with the morning post.  
  
Packages and letters seemed to be falling on everyone. Two owls came flying over to drop a large, long package in front of Ginny. Harry's quick reflexes helped him to reach out and grab the falling object before it could knock over anything on the table. He handed it to Ginny with a bright smile. "Here you go, Gin ... Merry Christmas!"  
  
Ginny gave Harry a bewildered look, then glanced at the package. "It's to me," she said, rather surprised. "But who would send me something so big?"  
  
Hermione was trying not to smile too wide as she said, "Why don't you open it, Ginny? Then you'll know who sent it to you."  
  
With a slight nod, Ginny tore into the package. As soon as she saw its contents, her brown eyes grew wide with wonder. "It's ... it's ... it's a ..."  
  
"Nimbus 2001," Harry finished for her, still smiling. Ginny looked up at him questioningly.   
  
Hermione elbowed her as she urged, "There's a note. Go on! Read it!"  
  
Picking up the piece of paper, Ginny read aloud, "To Ginny ... Happy and Safe flying! From Fred, George, Ron, Harry, and Hermione." Once again tears sprang to Ginny's eyes, but this time they were accompanied with a smile.  
  
The small redhead jumped up from her seat and gave Hermione a quick hug. Then she dashed around the table to give Ron a hug. Finally, Ginny threw her arms around Harry and hugged him tightly. "Oh, I don't know how to ever thank you all," she said, pulling back a bit from Harry. She didn't completely pull away, however ... and neither did Harry. "I can't believe you gave me a Broom ... of my very own ... it's really Too much."  
  
Ron interrupted, "No it isn't. I know that for the twins and I, we got that for you for selfish reasons. We want to make sure that our little sister has every means of protection ... including reliable transportation."  
  
"Well, I helped with it because I feel that Ginny deserves something new and all her own," said Hermione. Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
In a quiet tone, Harry stated, "I just wanted to help make you smile."  
  
Ginny ... Ron and Hermione, too ... looked at Harry, somewhat startled. Even Harry seemed surprised by what he'd said. He began to blush and mutter when Ginny rewrapped her arms around him and hugged him even tighter. In a soft whisper, she told him, "Thank you, Harry."  
  
A sound of someone clearing her throat came from behind Harry. They all turned to see Cho standing there, nearly shooting daggers at Ginny. Harry immediately let go of Ginny as he stepped back away from her. Ginny also took a step away. In a shy friendly voice, the young Gryffindor girl said, "Hullo Cho ... Merry Christmas!"  
  
Cho glanced the girl over, then smiled tensely at her as she replied, "Merry Christmas to you, too." Looking at the others, she added, "To All of you. Especially you, Harry." Leaning up, Cho gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek.  
  
Harry blinked with surprise as this was the first time Cho had ever given him a kiss ... even if it was just on the cheek. He somehow muttered back to her, "Merry Christmas to you too, Cho." As he stood there gazing down at the pretty girl, he felt an inner nagging that he was forgetting about something.  
  
Cho smiled at him as she tugged on his hand. "Come eat with me, Harry! I want to tell you about all the presents I got ... oh ... by the way, thank you so much for that Lovely quill pen. It's absolutely beautiful ..."  
  
Listening to Cho talk, Harry followed her over to the Ravenclaw table. They'd just sat down when Professor Dumbledore called for attention. Harry felt his concentration shift from the girl next to him to the headmaster. But it didn't stay there for long.  
  
As Professor Dumbledore gave a Christmas Day greeting to the staff and students, Harry's gaze wandered back over to the Gryffindor table. He spotted Hermione and Ginny, though their backs were to him. Ginny's shoulders seemed to be slumped, while Hermione was patting the young girl in a sympathetic way while whispering to her.  
  
Harry wasn't sure, but he thought that Ginny seemed almost depressed and Hermione looked as if she were comforting her. But that didn't make much sense to Harry. She'd been happy not more than a few minutes earlier.   
  
Suddenly it dawned on him that he couldn't remember saying good-bye to Ginny, Hermione, or Ron. In fact it had almost seemed as if the moment he saw Cho, he'd forgotten the others had been there.  
  
That bothered him. Harry's gaze flickered over to his best friend and what he saw made him shiver. Ron was glaring straight at him with an expression that clearly showed his full anger. Harry blinked, then gave Ron a questioning look. But before he could mouth asking what was wrong, Cho tugged on his robe sleeve.  
  
"You should really be paying attention, Harry," Cho told him. So, without a second thought, Harry turned to listen to the headmaster ... completely unaware of the cold stare he was still receiving from Ron.  
  
tbc 


	16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own HP, so don't sue.  
  
Chapter 15:  
  
The week between Christmas day and New Year's Eve was fairly uneventful ... with the exception of the fact that Ron wouldn't speak to Harry, just glare and ignore him. Hermione was a bit better in that she wasn't glaring at him, but she wasn't speaking to him either. This really confused Harry because he couldn't figure out what he'd done to them.  
  
He never seemed to have a chance to ask either because they were busy or Cho would drag him away before he could even say hello. All in all, Harry had decided that this year was definitely ending on a sour note. Not wanting it to be that way, he was determined when he woke up the morning of New Year's Eve day that he would talk to them even if he had to do a Petrificus Totalius spell on the both of them.  
  
Ron, as usual, was up and gone before Harry awoke. And by the time he got down to breakfast, Ron and Hermione were just getting ready to leave. Cho grabbed Harry as he was heading over to the Gryffindor table. Harry had worked it all out on the walk down to the Great Hall that morning how he would just explain to Cho that he needed to talk privately to Ron and Hermione. But, as soon as he looked into Cho's sparkling, dark eyes, he totally forgot about his plans.  
  
So, it wasn't until lunch, when at the very end Cho finally told him that she was going to start to get ready for the Ball, did Harry remember his earlier goal. As usual, Ron and Hermione had managed to slip by him during lunch. Even Ginny was no where in sight. Sighing, Harry went back up to the Gryffindor common room  
  
Before he reached the tower, he was coming to a corner when he heard voices ... familiar voices.   
  
"...is that Something is Not right," a female voice was stating. Harry was fairly sure it was Hermione. He paused at the corner, though he knew that eavesdropping on his friends wasn't right. But, he had a feeling that it was him they were talking about. So, making sure no one was behind him, Harry leaned against the wall to listen.  
  
"Yeah. The way he's been acting," another voice, that could only be Ron's, said, "He's been a bloody prat ... to us ... and especially to ..."  
  
Hermione cut in, "I know! I know! But what I don't understand is why?"  
  
Ron snorted. "I can tell you why. He's got his mind mixed up with his..."  
  
"Ron!" Hermione scolded. "Don't talk like that. I know that he's had this crush, but ... it just doesn't seem *normal*. It's like either we exist or she exists ... but not both at the same time."  
  
There was a moment of silence before Ron said, "You know, I don't even really care that he's ignoring us ... or that he's so consumed by her. It's Ginny that's got me so peeved."  
  
If Hermione replied to Ron, Harry didn't hear because suddenly a transparent face popped in front of him. It was Peeves, the poltergeist. "Tsk,Tsk,Tsk on you Potter! Eavesdropping will get you only into hot water!" the nasty little ghost sing songed.  
  
Although he knew it was futile, Harry whispered harshly, "Shut up, Peeves! This is none of your business."  
  
Peeves really didn't like being told to shut up. Grinning madly, he began to yell, "Why if it isn't the Famous Harry Potter! What are you *doing*, Potter, leaning against this here wall? You wouldn't be trying to hear the private conversation of your two best friends ... would you?"  
  
If Harry could have actually had an effect, he would have swung at Peeves with everyting he had. But it would do no good to try and hit a poltergeist. Besides, the damage was done. Ron and Hermione came around the corner just a Peeves flew off cackling wildly. All Harry could do was look at the two and mutter, "Hullo."  
  
Ron huffed angrily and turned to leave. "Ron! Wait!" Harry called out desperately. The redhead stopped, but didn't turn around or say a word. Hermione stood facing both boys. Her gaze would switch nervously back and forth between them. Harry noticed that her expression seemed to soften when she was looking at Ron, though.  
  
"I've been wanting to talk to the two of you," Harry said cautiously. "I've noticed that you both seem to be upset with me and I don't understand ..."  
  
Suddenly, Ron whirled around to glare at him. In a very low voice, the boy said, "You don't understand, Harry? What don't you understand? How you never doing stuff with us anymore might bother us? How you acting like Hermione and I don't even exist ... walking right past us without saying even hello ... or just up and stopping a conversation with us when you Do happen to notice us just so you can go drool over your girlfriend would Actually Upset Us?"  
  
"Ron .. I never..." Harry began, but stopped when he saw how angry his best friend's face got.  
  
Shaking his head a bit, Ron spat out, "You know, it's one thing for you to do this to us, but do you have to drag Ginny into it? I know her silly little crush has always bothered you ..."  
  
"No! ... It hasn't," Harry blurted out, startling both his friends and himself.  
  
All Ron could say to that was a very doubtful, "Yeah, sure."  
  
Hermione cut in at this point to say, "Harry, we're just worried about you. You seem to space out so much ... especially around Cho."  
  
Harry could feel the heat rise in his cheeks at that comment. "Cho's going through a rough time right now ... because of Cedric. I owe it to him to be there for her." Ron scolfed at that. Harry looked at him sharply as he added, "And she's not my girlfriend ... not really. We're just friends. That's what she really needs right now ... lots of friends to help her through ... everything. But most people have shied away from her because they don't know what to say or how to act. As I said, I *owe* it to Cedric to take care of her while she's ..."  
  
"Healing?" Hermione offered, along with a gentle smile. Harry nodded, then looked at Ron. The boy seemed to be considering what Harry had said.   
  
After a moment, Ron looked up at Harry with a much calmer expression. "So, you're not really ignoring us ... you're just really preoccupied with being there as a friend for Cho?"  
  
Harry nodded as he replied, "You could say that."  
  
"And you feel the need to be there for her because ... you feel in debt to Cedric?"   
  
Harry wasn't so sure about this statement, but he said, "It's something like that."  
  
Again, Ron stood silently for a moment, thinking. Then his shoulders seemed to droop as he let out slowly the breath that he'd been holding. "I guess that does explain it all. I'm sorry, mate. it's just been bothering me not having you around as much. I've been so bored lately that I've even taken to going to the Library with Hermione ... in my *free* time."  
  
As Ron shuddered at his comment, Hermione made a face at him and smacked him lightly on the arm. Harry laughed, feeling a lot better than he had all week. "Come on," he said, putting an arm around each of his friends' shoulders. "We probably can get in a couple of games of Wizarding chess before the Ball."  
  
At the mention of the Ball, Hermione let out a little squeal. Both boys looked at her with curiosity. "The Ball! ... I've got to get ready ..."  
  
Ron laughed at the girl as he said, "Calm down, Hermione! We've got four whole hours until it starts."  
  
Hermione went a bit pale as she responded with, "Only *four* hours? Oh no ... I'll never be ready in time. I've got to go Now! See you both later."  
  
Bewildered, the boys watched Hermione race off to the Gryffindor tower. "I take it that she's excited about this dance, huh?" Harry asked.  
  
Ron just shrugged, then signed. "I really don't know. This is the first that she's acted like that. Usually we just fight about it ... and everything else. Seems like arguing is our only means of communication."  
  
Harry laughed. "If arguing is your way of communicating, then dancing together could get a little violent."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. "Who says we're going to dance?"  
  
Giving him a look of amazement, Harry shook his head. He had a feeling that before the night was through, he'd see Ron and Hermione out on the dance floor ... whether Ron wanted to be there or not.  
  
For the next three hours, Harry and Ron played game after game of Wizarding chess ... all of which Harry lost. He was in the midst of watching Ron's knight slaughtering one of his pawns when Neville Longbottom came up to them.  
  
"Aren't you two going to the Ball tonight," he asked. Both Ron and Harry looked up and nodded. The quiet boy went on, "Then don't you think you should be getting ready?"  
  
"We've got a whole hour, for goodness sake," Ron stated as he turned his attention back to the chess board. Neville shrugged and went up to the boy's dormitory.  
  
Harry sat staring at the board. He wasn't really interested in playing anymore. Especially since seeing Neville reminded him of something that was bothering him. Hesitantly, Harry looked up at Ron. "Um ... Ron?" he started, getting his friend's attention. "Earlier you said something ... about dragging Ginny into ..." Not knowing what words to use, Harry just waved his hands around vaguely as he looked meaningfully at Ron.  
  
Ron sighed. "I'm sorry about that, mate. I just thought that you were stringing my sister along while you were involved with Cho. I just don't want to see her get hurt."  
  
Harry stared at Ron, trying to digest what the boy had just said. "What do you mean by 'stringing Ginny along'?"  
  
Ron began to put away the chess game, ignoring the protests from the pieces who felt it was unjust to leave the game unfinished. "I don't know. It just seems like ... well .. you act different around her now. Ever since the attack. Almost like she means something to you."  
  
"She *does* mean something to me, Ron," Harry stated. The look Ron gave him made him immediately wonder if it was wise for him to have admitted that. Figuring that it was too late to take it back, he continued. "Ginny and I are friends. When we were out there ... after the attack on the Burrow ... we depended on each other just to get through each day. And ... well ... we talked ... a lot. I got to know her more, and she got to know me a little more."  
  
Ron didn't look as if he knew what to think of that. This made Harry feel suddenly uncomfortable.   
  
"Oy! Fellows!" a voice shouted over to them, interrupting the odd moment. They turned to find Seamus coming up to them. He was grinning rather mischievously as he asked, "You know that the Ball starts in just forty-five minutes ... and it's first come dibs on the seating."  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other, then Ron began to curse quietly. "I forgot all about that. Oh! If I'm not ready *Before* Hermione gets down here, I'll have to listen to her go on and on about the importance of punctuality All night!" Closing up the chess game, Ron said, "Come on, Harry! Let's get ready and get this night over with."  
  
It didn't really take the boys that long to get dressed. As Harry got ready, he found himself pondering about things ... well, actually, people ... girls, to be more precise. It had surprised him that Hermione had been so tense about getting ready. She just didn't seem like the kind of girl that would find all that to be important. Harry wondered if the Ball itself was what was so important to Hermione, or if it was actually Ron's approval.  
  
Harry tried several times to get his tie done up. After a while, he gave up. Looking over at Ron, he was relieved to see that his tie wasn't nicely done up either. The boys began to head down to the common room to wait for Hermione. Harry's thoughts turned to Cho. He still was amazed that she was going with him. Unconsciously, he reached up and began to fiddle with his tie. He knew that Cho would want him to look his best ... that type of thing *was* important to her.  
  
Actually, he thought that appearance was important to most of the girls in the school. The only exception he could think of was Hermione ... and perhaps Ginny. The youngest Weasley didn't seem to be the kind to fuss over her hair and clothes ... or to care about how those she was with looked. Harry believed that Ginny had to be one of the most generous and kindest people he'd ever known. She'd have to be to attend last year's Ball with Neville and this years with Colin Creevey.  
  
Harry was thinking that perhaps he'd try to get a word in with Ginny before the Ball ... just to make sure that she wasn't upset with him as Ron and Hermione had been. However, just then, Colin Creevey came into the common room and called out, "Harry! Hey, Harry! Isn't this exciting?! I didn't get to go to last year's ... you know ... because I wasn't old enough. But this year ages doesn't matter ... although I would have been old enough anyways ... Oh WOW! ... Look at Hermione!"  
  
All three boys turned to the girl's stairs to see Hermione descending. She had on a flowing light blue dress robe. And her hair was pulled partially back and elaborately curled. Harry glanced over at Ron to find him gaping at the girl. With an amused smile, Harry turned back to Hermione and said, "You look great, Hermione!" The girl broke into a bright smile.  
  
"No she doesn't," Ron blurted out. Immediately, Hermione's smile faded. Before Harry could elbow Ron in the gut for such a rude comment, Ron added in a breathless tone, "She looks ... Amazing!"  
  
A pink tinge invaded Hermione's cheeks as she smiled shyly at her date. Ron apparently realized what he'd just said because he began to mutter and stutter incoherently. However, when Hermione placed her hand on his arm, he immediately stopped and just smiled foolishly down at her.  
  
Harry's attention had been diverted from his grinning and blushing best friends. "Now *That's* amazing," he murmured. Ron glanced away from Hermione to give Harry an odd look. Then, he too looked in the same direction Harry was looking. What was so amazing to Harry turned out to be Ron's sister ... although even Ron would have to agree with his best friend.  
  
Ginny's black with golden sparkles dress robe fit her perfectly. She, too, had her hair partially pulled back and curled in soft ringlets that cascaded around her shoulders. Golden ribbons flowed down amongst the reddish curls. Her expression clearly showed her nervousness, though she did smile shyly.  
  
Colin ran up to her as he stated loudly, "WOW! Ginny! You look great! Is that a new dress robe? It looks really good on you ..."  
  
During Colin's constant stream of chatter, Ginny peeked over at Harry ... who had yet to take his eyes off of her. Both blushed lightly at being caught looking at each other. As Harry glanced away, he noticed that Hermione was trying to straighten Ron's tie. Ron was deliberately trying to keep her from finishing this task. Harry suspected that Hermione's close proximity to his best friend was a key part behind Ron's desire to prolong her work.  
  
Of course, seeing Ron's tie being fixed immediately made him think of his own messy tie. Once again, he began to pull and tug on it.   
  
"Here," a soft voice said, "Let me do that for you."  
  
Harry looked up to find Ginny now standing in front of him. He didn't say a word or move an inch as the girl reached forward to work on the tie with shaky hands. As she was preoccupied with looking at the tie, Harry stared freely down at her. He wasn't sure why, but he seemed to be having trouble remembering how to breathe.  
  
After a minute or so, Ginny looked straight into his eyes. She blinked with surprise to have found him watching her. With cheeks blushing and a bashful smile, she said quietly, "There you go, Harry. It's all fixed."  
  
Harry knew that it would be proper for him to thank her ... but he couldn't seem to get his voice to work. When he finally did, he could only croak out, "Pretty." Ginny's eyes went wide. As Harry realized what he'd just said, he quickly added, "Good job, I mean ... pretty good job." It sounded lame to even his ears.  
  
"Okay you guys," Colin shouted oblivious to the awkward moment he'd just interrupted. "It's time for pictures! Hey, Dennis! Come over and take a picture of all of us."  
  
Colin's younger brother ambled over to them and took the camera. Harry began to step out of the way, but Colin quickly stopped him. "I want you in it, too, Harry!" Colin stated with excitement.  
  
Quickly, Colin arranged the group into order. It was Ron, then Hermione, followed by Harry, then Ginny, and finally Colin. As Dennis messed with the camera gadgets, Harry glanced down at the redhead girl next to him. She seemed to sense his eyes on her, for she, too, turned and looked up at him. A warm smile slowly lit up Harry's face, bringing a bright, sparkling one from Ginny.  
  
Dennis yelling, "Oy! You all need to scoot closer together," broke the moment, though. "Harry! Put your arms around Hermione and Ginny!" Hesitantly, Harry did as he was told. While the closeness to Hermione was comfortable, the closeness to Ginny was having more electrifying effects on him.  
  
"Stop scowling at Harry, Ron ... you need to put your arm around Hermione, too! Yes ... that's good. Okay, Colin ... arm around Ginny! All ready? Everyone say, 'Gryffindor Rules!' ... Perfect!"  
  
Several more pictures were taken, but Harry didn't get to stand next to Ginny again. Fred and George came through the portrait hole at the end of the photo session. Smirking, Fred yelled to Harry, "Potter! The little woman is waiting for you ... and she doesn't look very happy."  
  
George chimed in with, "I don't think she likes to be kept waiting ... either that or she wasn't impressed with the glitter bomb we set off near her ..."  
  
Harry sighed heavily. Thanks to the twins, it looked as if he was going to be in for a long night. Hermione gave him an understanding smile as she said, "We should all get down there. Maybe we can get a table for six so we can all sit together?" Everyone seemed to like that idea.  
  
Much to no one's surprise, Colin raced ahead snapping pictures of everything and everyone. Harry noted that Ron had held out the crook of his arm to Hermione so that he could escort her to the Great Hall. She, of course, gladly accepted. It only took a moment of glancing from the picture happy Colin and his lonely looking date for Harry to make up his mind.  
  
"May I escort you to the Great Hall," Harry asked Ginny as he held out the crook of his arm, imitating Ron.  
  
Ginny seemed startled at first, but quickly smiled at him. As she took his arm, she said, "I would be most honored, kind sir." Harry chuckled lightly, then lead her away.  
  
The group slowly made their way down to the Great Hall where the Ball was being held. As they walked, Harry tried to think of a way to bring up his concerns that he might have done something to upset Ginny. Looking down at the girl, he didn't think that she looked upset at all with him. He began to wonder if maybe Ron was worried about Ginny for some other reason.  
  
They reached the main staircase going down to the level that the Great Hall was located. Just as they began down the steps, Harry felt as if someone was watching him. He was used to that feeling. Already, he'd noticed many of the students they'd passed staring at them ... although, he knew that the boys were looking at Ginny more than at him. Scanning the bottom of the stairs, Harry found Cho scowling up at him. Her expression sent a shiver through his entire body.  
  
"Are you okay, Harry?" Ginny asked gently.   
  
Immediately, Harry looked away from Cho as he said, "Yeah ... I'm okay. I think I'd better go get Cho. We'll meet you all in the Great Hall." Ginny nodded understandingly. Before she could pull her hand away from his arm, however, Harry grabbed on to it. "Er ... I was just wondering ... it you could perhaps save a dance for me?"  
  
With a soft smile, Ginny nodded slowly. "Consider one saved," she told him. "You can claim it as soon as you're able." She glanced down in Cho's direction, a sort of sadness hinting within her brown eyes. Giving Harry's hand a reassuring squeeze, Ginny left him to settle things with the Ravenclaw girl.  
  
Harry walked over to Cho and said, "Hello, Cho ... you look very nice tonight." The dark haired beauty just glared at him. In a rush, feeling that he had to explain, Harry said, "I was just helping Ginny down the stairs. Her date ... Colin Creevey ... he was busy taking pictures ..." His voice drifted off as Cho gave a heavy sigh and looked over at Harry's friends. "Anyway," Harry went on, "I told them that we'd meet them in the Great Hall."  
  
"Why would we do that?" Cho asked in a somewhat irritated voice.  
  
Taken back by the question, Harry hesitated a moment before answering. "Well, because I thought we could all sit together. It will be a lot of fun."  
  
Cho did not look as if she agreed with that comment. "Well, Harry," she stated, pursing her lips, "I told *my* friends that we would sit with them. I'm sure that Ron, Hermione, and all your other friends will understand."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it quickly. He was too tired to get into a fight. It did seem to make sense that they would sit with Cho's friends. After all, she was the one who had asked him to the dance. "All right," he heard himself say.   
  
Cho gave him a dazzling smile and slipped her hand into his. As she lead them to a table where several Ravenclaw students sat, Harry felt a nagging feeling that he was forgetting about something.  
  
They had no sooner sat down then Professor Dumbledore stood up to begin the Ball. Normally, Harry would be paying attention to what the headmaster had to say, but tonight he just felt too restless. Glancing around the Hall, Harry spotted Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Colin, Neville, and Natalie sitting at a table way across the room. Despite the distance, he could tell that Ron was looking his direction.  
  
Harry made a sort of apologetic shrug to his friend, who nodded in return. He was fairly certain that Ron understood what had happened and would explain to the others. Even if not, he figured that he'd explain later to Hermione and Ginny when he danced with them.  
  
tbc  
  
A/N: Next chapter covers the Ball. I hope to have it out soon. K-P :) 


	17. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own HP, so please don't sue me.  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Dinner that night was exquisite. The house elves out did themselves. Harry noticed, though, that Cho barely touched her food. And, while everyone else chatted happily with each other, she seem to barely speak a few words here and there. Harry reached out a hand to ask her if she was all right. But, as soon as his hand touched hers, Cho nearly jumped out of her skin.  
  
"Are you okay," Harry asked, trying to ignore the angry glare Cho was sending his way.  
  
"I'm fine," Cho snapped, then grimaced slightly. Her expression softened as she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to snap. I really am okay ... just a bit tired."  
  
Harry nodded, not wanting to press things. Changing the subject, Harry said, "All this food is delicious. Have you tried the Lemon Pudding cake?"  
  
Cho nodded absentmindedly. "I tried some at last year's ... Ball ... I didn't like it." Her voice was barely a whisper as she finished speaking. At the mention of last year's Ball, both students grew quiet, lost in their own thoughts and memories. It was a relief when the girl next to Cho started up a conversation with her.  
  
This left Harry free to glance around the Hall. He noticed that a few tables over from Ron and the others sat Fred, Angelina, George, Katie, Less, and Alisha. There appeared to be mostly Gryffindors sitting in that area of the large room Where he and Cho were sitting, Harry noted that it was mostly Ravenclaw students. Hufflepuffs had their own area too ... as did the Slytherins.  
  
Sitting in the midst of the Slytherins was Draco Malfoy. Pansy Parkinson was next to him talking almost loud enough that Harry could hear. With a bit of satisfaction, Harry noticed that Malfoy did Not look as if he were having any fun.  
  
Harry was just starting to look away from that area of the room when his eyes fell upon two bright blue eyes looking back at him. He blinked, as if thinking that would change what he was seeing. But, it didn't A petite blonde girl was staring straight at him. She didn't have an expression of awe or a look of disgust. She was just staring. She must have realized that he'd noticed her looking, though she didn't turn away. Instead, she gave him a slow, almost sad smile.  
  
Without knowing why, Harry smiled back. A movement at another table over amongst the Slytherins distracted him. Glancing over, he saw Malfoy scowling as he looked back and forth between Harry and the small blonde. It dawned on Harry right at that moment that the girl was Crabbe's younger sister.   
  
'Probably doesn't know that she's supposed to despise me,' Harry thought ruefully. Looking back at the girl, he found that she'd turned away and was now staring questioningly at Malfoy.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Cho suddenly asked, causing Harry to turn away from the odd scene.  
  
"Nothing," Harry stated, not wanting to explain. "Just looking around at all the decorations and everyone here." Before Cho could question him further, he said, "It looks like they're about ready to start the dancing. Did you want to dance for a little bit?"  
  
To his surprise, Cho just shook her head no. "Oh," was all Harry could think of to say. After a few minutes, he said hesitantly, "Well, if you're not ready to dance yet, now might be a good time for me to dance with some other ..."  
  
"You're Going To LEAVE Me?!" Cho nearly shouted. Quite a few people turned to look at them.   
  
Harry, who was half way to standing up, slowly sunk back into his seat. "I wasn't leaving you, Cho..." He began to say.  
  
Cho interrupted, "You were just going to go off and dance with all your little fans ... I thought you were here with ME!"  
  
"I Am here with you, Cho," Harry replied. "But that shouldn't mean that I can't dance with other girls ... just like you can dance with other boys. Besides, I was only really going to dance with Hermione ... she is one of my best friends, after all. And then with Ginny ..."  
  
Cho threw up her hands angrily as she turned away, looking disgusted. "Fine! Then Go! Dance the whole night with them! I don't know why you even said yes to coming with me when you never intended to spend time with me ..."  
  
"All Right, Already!" Harry stated, trying to hold his temper in check. "I Won't dance with anyone but you ... okay? I won't even leave your side."  
  
Both Harry and Cho refused to look at each other as they sat in an uncomfortable silence. The others at their table had wisely left. With dismay, Harry turned his eyes to the dance floor to see who was dancing.  
  
Harry was surprised to see Ron and Hermione already out on the floor. The song playing was rather upbeat and watching his two best friends try to dance to it made Harry smile. Ron was clowning around more than actually trying to dance proper. Harry thought that Hermione would be upset by her date's behavior. But, instead, she was all rosy cheeked and laughing as she tried to dance along with Ron.  
  
Next to them, the twins were twirling their dates around and acting as wild as ever. Lee and Alicia were actually trying to do some more serious dance steps, but the twins kept bumping into them. Neville was listening carefully to Natalie as she attempted to teach him some steps. And Harry couldn't help but feel bad for Ginny when he saw that she was dancing with Colin, who was dancing and snapping pictures at the same time. Harry wondered just how well those pictures would turn out with all the bouncing Colin was doing.  
  
A hand lightly touched Harry's arm, drawling his attention away from his friends. Looking down, he saw it was Cho's hand. And when he looked up into her eyes, Harry was surprised by the apologetic expression that shown on her face.   
  
"I'm sorry, Harry," Cho said quietly. "I shouldn't have got so upset with you like that ... I'm just ... this isn't easy ..."  
  
Harry patted her hand with his as he said gently, "I understand, Cho. You don't need to explain to me ... or apologize. And, if you want to not dance tonight, then we won't ... if you do, then we will. This night is for you, Cho. I just want to be with you to share it."  
  
An expression crossed Cho's pretty face that Harry wasn't sure how to interpret. It seemed to contain surprise, amazement, saddness, and ... something else. Finally, the girl smiled shyly at him as she murmured, "Thank you, Harry."  
  
True to his word, Harry didn't leave Cho's side for the rest of the night. He did, however, continue to watch his friends having a good time. For the most part, Ron and Hermione only danced with each other. Fred and George each managed to steal Hermione away for a dance. And she danced with Neville and Colin. Other than those few, Hermione stayed mostly by Ron's side.  
  
Because Colin was so involved with taking pictures, Ginny was left without a dance partner most of the evening. Her brothers each, of course, danced with her. And Colin did occasionally take her out onto the floor ... although always with his camera in hand. Harry nearly laughed when he saw the look on Ginny's face, though, when Neville came over to ask her to dance. Being the good sport she was, she agreed and was soon wincing painfully as a result.  
  
Ginny wasn't the only one looking bored and wincing while dancing. Draco Malfoy was also having a similar night. It was clearly evident by the scowl on his face that Pansy was beginning to irritate him highly. Harry watched with amusement as Malfoy managed to lose Pansy at the refreshment table. She didn't stay lost for long. Soon enough she was stomping towards the boy with a look that made even Harry almost feel sorry for Malfoy.  
  
Draco was nervously glancing around him, as if looking for an escape. There must not have been one, however, because he never moved. Pansy was just a few feet away from him when Crabbe's sister popped up next to the Slytherin boy. She leaned up on tiptoes to whisper something to him and a look of instant relief crossed the boy's face. Harry chuckled lightly as he watched Draco lead the girl past a gaping Pansy and out onto the dance floor.  
  
"What's so funny?" Cho asked, looking off in the same direction Harry was.  
  
"Oh, um, it's nothing really," Harry answered, watching as Malfoy and the small blonde began to slow dance. Harry glanced over at Cho and asked hesitantly, "If you would like to dance at all, just let me know. I'm not the best at it, but I'm willing to give it a go."  
  
Cho nodded silently, but did not show any interest in dancing.  
  
The night past by slowly and finally the students were getting ready to count down to the new year. Harry was surprised when Cho excused herself to go to the loo. He hoped that she wouldn't be too long. But, as the count down dropped to under a minute, he doubted that she'd make it back in time. The whole Hall seemed to shake as the students counted down from ten to one, then yelled 'Happy New Year!'  
  
Everyone began to give hugs and some even kisses to those around them. Harry just stood there watching the pandemonium. He glanced around, trying to find Cho, but she was no where in sight. Across the room, however, he saw Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.  
  
His two best friends appeared to be rather busy hugging each other. But Ginny was standing there, just like Harry was, watching everyone else. As she gazed around, her eyes found and locked with Harry's. He smiled and gave a wave to her. She did the same in turn.  
  
It seemed so ridiculous for him not to go over and wish his friends a happy new year. But he didn't want to risk upsetting Cho. He knew that she was having a rough enough time anyways that night. So, Harry sat back down at their table and waited for her to come back.   
  
It wasn't too long after that Cho rejoined Harry ... just in time to watch the twins set off a fabulous display of fireworks. As she sat down next to him, Harry whispered to her, "Happy New Year, Cho."  
  
She frowned, then slowly gave him a small smile as she replied, "Happy New Year to you too, Harry. I'm sure this year will turn out to be much better then last year."  
  
Harry couldn't help giving her an odd look. Finally, he managed to mutter, "I sure hope so."  
  
It took almost an hour for things to settle down in the Great Hall so that the dancing could continue. Not everyone stayed, but quite a few did. Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione were still there, but he didn't see Colin and Ginny. He didn't get a chance to really ponder on this as Cho tapped him and said, "You know, Harry, it's a pretty nice night out tonight. Would you care to go for a walk ... down to the gardens?"  
  
Now, a walk down to the gardens generally meant something more than a simple stroll past the plants and flowers. It was generally thought of as a good place for a young couple to go for some privacy. That's why when Cho suggested a walk to Harry, he nearly spat out the pumpkin juice that he'd been in the process of drinking. Blushing profusely, he grabbed up a napkin to clean himself up as he answered, "Um ... if you want to go for a walk ... um ... that's fine with me."  
  
The two got up from the table, leaving it empty. As they walked to the door to leave the Great Hall, Harry considered stopping long enough to talk to Ron and Hermione. Cho, however, seemed to sense his hesitation and, taking hold of his hand, she quickened her pace. Harry sighed, but continued to follow his date.   
  
Just as they reached the main doors leading outside the castle, Harry heard voiced that caused him to stop.  
  
"He's a better date than you'd ever be," a female voice was saying defensively. It was Ginny ... Harry was certain of that. And her tone of voice made him wonder if she was in trouble.  
  
"Come on, Ginny," a voice that had to be Colin's said tensely. "Just ignore them. Let's go back to the dance."  
  
"I don't think so, Mudblood!"  
  
At that voice, Harry propelled into action. As he walked quickly to where he thought the voices were coming from, he heard Cho asking from behind him, "Harry! Where are you going? The gardens are this way!"  
  
But Harry wasn't listening to her. His ears were tuned in only on the voices he was following.  
  
"Don't Call Him That!" Ginny demanded loudly.   
  
Malfoy's laughter seemed to echo throughout the castle's halls. "That's what he is," the Slytherin boy could be heard saying. "Now ... *we*, however, are Purebloods and should really stick together. As I've said before ... You are salvageable. In fact, I must admit that you cleaned up Really well."  
  
Harry turned the corner just in time to see Malfoy inching closer to Ginny. "Get away from her, Malfoy!" Harry growled in a low voice.   
  
Immediately Malfoy stopped, but he didn't look back at Harry. Instead, he continued to face Ginny as he said, "It absolutely amazes me that Potter seems to always know when you're in need of rescuing."  
  
Ginny glared at Draco as she snarled, "The only think that I need to be rescued from at the moment is being bored to tears by constant chattering that morons like you seem so fond of."  
  
Because Malfoy's back was to him, Harry couldn't see the boy's reaction to Ginny's comment. Crabbe was pretty much blocking his way to Ginny's side. And Goyle was on the other side of Colin. Deciding that it might be best to not get too close to Malfoy, Harry stopped a few feet away. He was a bit surprised to see Cho move up next to him.  
  
"Draco! Leave those kids alone," the Ravenclaw girl stated firmly.   
  
Malfoy slowly turned around to look at Cho, but didn't say anything in response. Instead, he walked up to stand face to face with Harry. With a bit of a smirk, he said, "If I had a girl like this," indicating to Cho, "On my arm, I wouldn't be wasting my time keeping watch over my best mate's little sister."  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry growled back at him.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle moved forward menacing towards Harry, even as Malfoy took a step back. Draco moved over next to Ginny again without a word. Then, grinning wickedly, Malfoy asked the petite redhead, "Tell me, Weaslette, was that dress you have on part of a payment from Potty here?"  
  
"Why you Bloody Git!" Harry yelled as he lunged at Malfoy with his wand in one hand and a fist formed with the other. He couldn't reach the boy, however. No one had noticed that several more students had joined the scene in the hallway. Two of which were now holding Harry back from tearing Malfoy apart, limb by limb. "Let me Go, George! ... Fred!" Harry shouted as he glared at Malfoy.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Hermione and the girls from the Gryffindor Quidditch team holding Ron back too.  
  
"Settle down, mate," George said, not letting go of Harry. Colin grabbed up Ginny's hand and pulled the pale girl back behind her brothers.  
  
Fred, still grasping Harry's arm, demanded, "What's going on here?"  
  
Before anyone could answer him, Neville Longbottom came running up to the group. Between gasps for air, he managed to say, "Snape ... coming ... this way!"  
  
Sure enough, they could all hear Professor Snape's voice booming from around the corner as he said, "Miss McDonald, for the last time, I do not have Time to answer these questions. If you are so curious about the ingredi..."  
  
Professor Snape became abruptly silent as he rounded the corner and saw the group of students there. "What is going on here?" he asked, eyes flashing with suspicion.  
  
Malfoy took on a pained expression as he said quickly, "Crabbe, Goyle, and myself were trying to head back to the dance when these Gryffindors blocked our way."   
  
A variety of comments met that statement until Professor Snape snarled, "Enough!" Glancing around at the students, the professor's eyes came to rest on Cho Chang. "You're from Ravenclaw, are you not?" Cho nodded silently. "You tell me what is going on here, then."  
  
Cho looked around at everyone quickly. When her gaze fell upon Malfoy, she frowned. "From what I saw, Professor Snape, Draco Malfoy was trying to keep Ginny Weasley and Colin Creevey from returning to the dance ... though I don't really know why."  
  
Professor Snape stared steadily at the girl for a moment, then said, "I see. In that case, a point from Slytherin for causing a scene ... and another point for lying to me." The professor gave the startled Malfoy a cold look before he went on. Switching his gaze back to Cho, he added, "And five points to Ravenclaw for your honesty, Miss Chang." That said, Professor Snape stood there with his arms folded, glaring at the students until they all began to file back towards the dance.  
  
Harry stood at the entrance of the Great Hall, watching both his friends and foes as they rejoined the Ball. Sighing, he turned to find Cho standing behind him. From the look on her face, Harry was fairly sure that they wouldn't be heading out to the gardens tonight. "What's wrong, Cho?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
"You didn't want to come with me to the Ball, did you?" Cho accused, glaring at him.   
  
Harry gawked at her, trying to figure out how she'd come to think that. "what do you mean ... of course I wanted to come with you, Cho. That's why I said yes."  
  
The dark haired beauty just shook her head. "No, it's not ... you only said yes because you felt sorry for me."  
  
Now Harry shook his head, but it was more in an attempt to try to shake his thoughts into making sense. "Cho ... I don't ..."  
  
Cho held her hand up, though, to cut him off. "Just answer me this," she said in a shaky voice. "If *She* would have asked you to go to the Ball before I had, would you have said yes?"  
  
"She?" Harry muttered with confusion. "She Who?"  
  
Cho just folded her arms in front of herself as she snapped, "You know who I'm talking about! That *girl* that is always around you!"  
  
For a moment, Harry thought about who she could be referring to. Finally, he said in disbelief, "You're not talking about Hermione, are you?"  
  
Cho huffed loudly. "Of course not. I'm talking about that Ginny Weasley. I've seen the way you two look at each other."  
  
Though he wasn't sure why, Harry suddenly felt hot all over. "I don't know What you're talking about, Cho," he muttered, not at all convincingly.  
  
Narrowing her dark eyes, Cho asked in a deathly low tone, "Just tell me ... if she would have asked you to go to the Ball first, would you have said yes?"  
  
Harry blinked at her. An odd thought soared through his head. 'Cho Chang is jealous of Ginny.' Aloud, he simply said, "Yes ... I think that I would have."  
  
Cho stared at him for a moment, then whirled around to storm off. Quickly, Harry reached out to grab her arm to keep her from leaving.  
  
"Now, hold on!" he said, trying to maintain a firm grip on the girl. "I don't understand why that should be making you all mad. Ginny and I are friends. We've been through a lot together. In truth, we owe our lives to each other. But just because I would have said yes to going with her had she asked first does Not mean that I said yes to you out of pity. I said yes to you because I like you."  
  
The whole time Harry had been speaking, Cho had been looking away from him. As he spoke, he could feel her begin to loosen up some. So, he expected to see a calmer expression on her face when she finally turned back around. But, what he saw was such a mixture of odd emotions that he immediately let go of her arm. There was anger and doubt, but also fear and surprise. The oddest thing he noticed was the deep sadness that shone clearly in her eyes.  
  
Then suddenly, Cho's face went blank. "I ... I think maybe we should call it a night. If you want to go back to the Ball, go ahead ... I think I need to lie down." Harry reached out again to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she winced away from him. "I need some time ... alone. Goodnight, Harry" She looked for a moment as if she had more to say, but then she just turned and left.  
  
Harry watched the girl walk away, not at all understanding what had just happened. He moved back to the entrance to the Great Hall and peeked in. At once, he noticed Ron and Hermione were dancing. Knowing that he would just be throttled with questions and comments about why Cho left, he decided not to go back in.   
  
Instead, Harry quietly and slowly made his way back to the Gryffindor Tower. With a sigh and a heavy heart, he entered the common room and headed up to bed.  
  
tbc 


	18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own HP - Rowlings and WB do. Please don't sue me for having a little bit of fun.  
  
Chapter 17  
  
When Harry woke up the next morning, he felt extremely groggy. The memory of the night before only dragged him down further. Looking around, he saw that Neville, Seamus, and Dean were all sleeping. Ron's bed, however, was unoccupied ... and looked just as it had when Harry had gone to sleep.  
  
Thinking that his best friend might still be down at breakfast, he quickly got up and dressed himself. Then quietly, he left the room. The common room was completely empty. Harry figured that most students were either still at breakfast or already in their beds sleeping.  
  
The trip down to the Great Hall was uneventful as Harry hadn't seen another soul along the way. If it hadn't been for seeing his three roommates sleeping, he might have begun to think that he was completely alone.   
  
The sound of voices told Harry otherwise as he reached the entrance to the Great Hall. He paused and looked inside. Although he was eager to talk to Ron and Hermione, Harry had no desire to run into Cho at that moment. A quick glance through the Hall revealed that Ron nor Hermione were there. In fact, most of the students inside at the moment were Slytherin. Harry couldn't help but notice that Cho was sitting at the Ravenclaw table. She was glancing around the room and watching the doorways.  
  
Sighing, Harry backed up so that the girl couldn't see him. As he walked away, he wondered where his friends had gone to. For a moment, he considered going back to his room ... but then his stomach growled loudly. Knowing that he needed to eat something, Harry snuck down into the kitchens t find Dobby.  
  
Of course, the second that Harry stepped into the kitchen, he was surrounded by house elves longing to help him in any way possible. He was soon laid down with cakes, toast, sausages, and pumpkin juice. With a genuine thanks, he left.  
  
Out in the hall, Harry bumped into someone the moment he stepped out of the kitchens. When he looked up and saw it was Cho, he nearly dropped his food. "Oh," he muttered, looking away.  
  
"Hello, Harry," Cho said in a soft voice. "Um ... could I speak with you ... please?" Harry just shrugged and followed her over to a nearby bench. As soon as they both sat down, Cho blurted out, "Harry, I am so sorry about last night ... the way I behaved ... the things I said. It's just that ... it was too much to take ... all the memories ... I guess I just used my jealously of Ginny as a means to vent." She paused, lightly laying a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I am sorry ... please, forgive me."  
  
Harry wasn't sure how to respond. He understood how difficult the night before had been for Cho. But there was something he couldn't figure out. So, he asked, "Why do you feel jealous of Ginny?"  
  
Cho gave him a startled look, then quickly changed it to a more soft expression. "I was just afraid that ... well ... that you might like her."  
  
Harry felt his face warm at that comment. "I do like her," he mumbled, not even realizing that he said it aloud.  
  
Cho's eyes steeled for a moment, then she smiled lightly as she sighed. "Of course you do, Harry. It only makes sense that you would. I mean, she must be like a little sister to you." Harry frowned at that thought, but Cho continued to speak. "When I replayed what happened last night in my mind, I realized that you and Ron both reacted the same way to Draco's stupidity. You both care for Ginny ... just like big brothers should care about their younger siblings."  
  
That did seem to make sense to Harry, although it somehow didn't sound correct. But he had to admit that he knew just how Ron and his brothers would do anything to protect Ginny, he would also. And he did look at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as parent type figures in his life ... and Ron and the twins were like brothers. So it just stood to reason that he would look at Ginny as being the little sister he'd never had.  
  
Of course, Harry also looked at Hermione as a type of sister figure. What bothered him, though, was that he knew deep down within him his feeling for the two girls were not the same ... he just couldn't figure out what exactly was different about the two.   
  
"So ... anyway," Cho said in a faltering tone, "Do you forgive me, Harry?"  
  
As Harry was so lost in his thoughts, he'd somewhat forgotten what they had been talking about. A bit dazed, he replied, "Forgive you? ... um ... yeah. Of course."  
  
Immediately Cho threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. This surprised Harry, nearly knocked him off the bench. "Oh Harry," Cho cooed, "I'm so glad that we settled this. I was afraid that I'd lost you too." Harry glanced at her, noticing her sad expression. "After Cedric ... well ... I don't know that I could take losing another boyfriend. I don't even think that it would matter how ..."  
  
Harry just blinked at her. 'Did she just say ... boyfriend?' he thought to himself. Suddenly he seemed to be having troubles breathing.  
  
"Harry! Where the bloody hell have you been?"  
  
Turning around slightly, Harry saw Ron and Hermione walking quickly towards him. He thought they looked a bit disheveled and nearly smirked as he considered the implications that led to ... but the smile never took complete form on his face. As he looked into Hermione's eyes, Harry noticed the red, puffiness around them. Both her and Ron looked tired, but there seemed to be something else wrong with them.  
  
"What's happened?" Harry exclaimed, standing up quickly.  
  
Ron seemed to almost glare at him, and then over at Cho. "We tried to find you last night ... you never came back to the Ball," Ron said rather accusingly.   
  
"I know," Harry replied. He couldn't help giving Cho a side glance as he stated, "I wasn't really in the mood ..." His voice drifted off.  
  
"I'm sure that you weren't," Ron snarled.  
  
Harry looked at him with surprise, noticing Hermione laying a hand gently on the redhead's arm. "Ron ... don't take this out on Harry. It's not his fault," the girl said softly.  
  
Now Harry was as alarmed as he was confused. "My fault?" he asked, glancing back and forth between his friends. "What isn't my fault? Why were you looking for me?"  
  
As Ron still seemed to be too upset to speak, Hermione answered, "It doesn't really have anything to do with you, Harry ... we just thought that you'd want to know ..."  
  
"Know What?!" Harry demanded when she paused a moment longer than he could take.  
  
"Know that Ginny had some kind of attack," Ron bellowed out.  
  
"What?!" Harry exclaimed, paling noticeably. "Is she ..." He couldn't finish.  
  
Hermione quickly stepped towards him as she reassured him, "Ginny's okay. She ... had a nightmare ... or something."  
  
Harry looked questioningly at the two of them. "What do you mean? She was attacked in a nightmare?"  
  
Ron seemed to be lessening in his anger towards Harry as he replied, "No. She fell asleep at the Ball last night ... it was after you left. Creevey was busy snapping his damn pictures ... no one noticed until she started to scream."  
  
"So, she just had a nightmare," Harry said, somewhat relieved. Then curiously, he asked, "But why would that make you look for me?"  
  
Hermione spoke up before Ron, saying, "It wasn't a normal nightmare, Harry. She ... we couldn't wake her. It was horrible. She was screaming in pain. At first, we thought someone was putting a curse on her."  
  
Harry interrupted here. "A curse? You mean like the Crucius Curse?" The memory of enduring that curse at Voldemort's hand the year before made Harry shudder.   
  
Both Ron and Hermione nodded. Hermione then went on, "But we discovered that she was asleep. We tried to wake her ... when she opened her eyes ... oh, Harry, I've never seen so much fear and pain ..."  
  
"Did she remember what she was dreaming about?" Harry asked hesitantly. He was beginning to feel a knot in his stomach and it wasn't from not having eaten yet. In fact, the food he'd taken from the kitchen still sat on the bench untouched. And Harry highly doubted that he would have any desire to touch it anytime soon.  
  
Ron answered Harry's question first with a frown, then a sigh, and finally by saying, "We don't know. She didn't really wake completely up. As soon as her eyes opened, she muttered ... then she passed out. She's been unconscious ever since."  
  
Harry ran his hand through his messy hair as he, too, gave a shaky sigh. "What does Madame Pomfrey say?"  
  
Both Ron and Hermione glanced at each other before Hermione replied, "She believes that it might have been a nightmare curse or hex. But ... those are very advanced ... and definitely dark art related."  
  
Harry frowned as he said, "Professor Snape?" Both of his friends looked doubtful at that suggestion, which he agreed with. A sudden thought crossed his mind and he asked, "What about Malfoy?"  
  
Ron nodded, though Hermione was still looking doubtful. The redhead said more to the girl next to him than to Harry, "Well, Malfoy was bothering Ginny earlier ... and he disappeared there for a bit before Ginny started screaming."  
  
"I know, but he was there in the Great Hall when she did start," Hermione replied. "And to be honest, I don't think that Malfoy's capable of doing such a complex spell."  
  
Something was nagging at Harry's mind as his two friends talked. Finally, he said, "You said that she muttered something. What was it?"  
  
Once more, Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. The expression on Ron's face darkened a bit. Hermione finally answered, "She muttered ... your name, Harry."  
  
Quirking an eyebrow, Harry just looked at his friends. Had Ginny been having a nightmare about him?  
  
Hermione continued, "Ginny opened her eyes and muttered something like ... 'Oh Harry' ... then she fainted. We .... we thought maybe she'd had a vision ... and then we couldn't find you ..."  
  
"I was up in my bed," Harry stated. Ron gave him an odd look and then glanced back behind him at Cho. In truth, Harry had forgotten that the Ravenclaw girl was there. With a heavy sigh, Harry added, "Cho and I had ... a disagreement. We decided to just call it a night. I had thought about coming back into the Great Hall, but ... I just wanted to be alone."  
  
Ron looked a bit apologetic as he commented, "I never thought to look in our room for you. Sorry mate. I wasn't thinking very clearly, I guess."  
  
Harry placed a hand comfortingly on the boy's shoulder as he said, "I understand." Nothing more needed to be said between the two best friends. Looking at Hermione, Harry asked, "Is Gin still up in the hospital wing?"  
  
Hermione nodded silently. Harry glanced back at the food on the bench, then said, "Why don't you two take this here ... you've got to be hungry."  
  
Ron smiled widely, much to Harry's relief. "Thanks, mate," the boy stated as he began to gather up the tray of food. "Hermione and I are just going to grab a bit of sleep, then we'll be back up to check on Ginny. Would you ..." Ron suddenly looked hesitantly over Harry's shoulder at Cho.  
  
The Ravenclaw girl spoke up. "Of course we'll go up and sit with your little sister. The poor thing." Ron and Hermione gave her some curious looks, but simply said thanks and their farewells.  
  
As the two Gryffindors walked towards the tower, Harry said quietly, "You don't have to come with me to the hospital wing."  
  
Cho immediately hushed him with a wave of her hand. "Don't be silly, Harry ... you must be worried sick about her. I know that if it were my little sister or brother that I'd be. And I'm sure that you'd come sit with me if it were the case."  
  
Harry nodded slowly as means of reply. The two headed up to the hospital wing in silence. As they walked in, Harry saw Professor Hall talking with Madame Pomfrey. he immediately went up to the two adults and asked, "How is Ginny doing? I told her brother that I would sit with her till he can come back."  
  
Madam Pomfrey looked as if she were about to deny Harry from seeing Ginny, but the old Defense Against the Dark Arts professor said with a quick nod, "That would be a good idea. I'm still not sure what caused the girl's behavior ... either a hex or a curse, that's for sure. Just don't know which one. It would be best if the young lady had constant supervision. And I'm sure that she would respond better to a friend if she wakes up soon."  
  
Madame Pomfrey tsked, but eventually agreed to let Harry and Cho sit in with Ginny. It felt somewhat awkward to be sitting there with Cho while watching Ginny intently.   
  
"Has this ever happened before?" Cho asked in a hushed voice.   
  
Harry shrugged. "I don't think so. Though, I do know that she hasn't been sleeping well."  
  
Cho looked steadily across at the sleeping girl as she said, "I can't imagine what she would have nightmares about ... except those twin brothers of hers." She smirked slightly as her gaze drifted back over to Harry.  
  
Harry had heard her, but couldn't bring himself to smile back. Instead, he sighed heavily. "Ginny's first year ... my second ... your third, she went through a very rough ordeal."  
  
"I remember that year," Cho stated. "That was when those students were petrified ... and all those rumors that the Slytherin heir had reopened the Chamber of Secrets ... Oh! Wait! Ginny was the one who got taken down to the Chamber ... and You rescued her ..."  
  
Harry blushed at the tone of awe in Cho's voice. "There's a lot more to it, but basically that's what happened. It was Ron and I who'd gone down to find her ... with Professor Lockhart."  
  
Cho nodded quickly as she gazed off into nothingness. "Oh yes ... Professor Lockhart. He was such a wonderful professor ... always so much fun."  
  
Glancing sideways at Cho, Harry just stared at her. He was suddenly fairly sure that Cho's had probably been one of the forty some early Valentines that the strange professor had received.  
  
"Um, yeah ... well," Harry muttered, turning his attention back to Ginny. As he looked at the soft expression on the sleeping girl's face, he found himself remembering how pale and cold she'd been when he'd found her in the Chamber of Secrets. An irresistible urge to get up and touch Ginny's cheek filled Harry, causing him to squirm a bit in his chair.  
  
"What's wrong, Harry?" Cho asked, looking at him with narrow eyes.   
  
Harry couldn't answer. His gaze returned to his sleeping friend and he just sighed heavily.   
  
BAM!  
  
Both Harry and Cho turned quickly to look at the entrance door to the room. Colin Creevey was rushing towards them looking rather wide-eyed. Harry didn't understand why, but he suddenly felt a surge of anger course through him.  
  
"How is she?" the fourth year boy asked. "Has she woken up? Do they know what caused it? She's going to be okay, isn't she?"  
  
Harry glared at the boy, then turned his attention back to Ginny. He heard the door open again, though much more quietly. Glancing over he saw Neville and Natalie slowly approaching them.  
  
Chancing another look at Colin, Harry found the boy staring horrified at him. It surprised him to see the tears beginning to well up in Colin's eyes. For just a moment, Harry began to feel bad for the boy. But then, Colin uttered, "Please Harry ... don't be upset ..."  
  
Colin wasn't able to finish, however, because Harry had leapt from his chair and charged right into the younger student. Gripping a fistful of Colin's robe in his hand, Harry growled, "It doesn't matter how *I* feel, Creevey! Ginny's the only one that matters! She Should have been the only one or thing that mattered to you last night ... not that da..."  
  
"HARRY!"  
  
Not easing his grip at all, Harry took a quick glimpse over at the doors to see Hermione and Ron coming in.  
  
"Let go of him NOW!" Hermione hissed sternly.  
  
Rather reluctantly, Harry did as he was told. He turned to face an angry looking Hermione and a startled, yet pleased looking Ron. "I thought you two were going to rest," he grumbled at them.  
  
Ron shrugged. "We had a bit to eat, but neither of us felt much like sleeping. So, we decided to just come back here to rest."  
  
Hermione walked up to Colin and asked gently, "Are you okay?"  
  
Colin nodded, then glanced at Harry with fearful eyes before nodding yet again. "I ... I think ... I should go. Tell Ginny ... tell her I'm sorry."  
  
Hermione shot Harry a quick glare, then said warmly to Colin, "You have nothing to be sorry about ... none of this was your fault. Why don't you go get some sleep." Shakily, Colin nodded and then left without another word.  
  
As soon as the boy was gone, Hermione turned on Harry. "What in the world did you do That for? You can't think any of this is Colin's fault!"  
  
Harry gave the girl a cool look as he said, "He cared more about me being upset with him then he did about what happened to Ginny. I'm surprised that he didn't bring that bloody camera with him to capture the moment."  
  
The look Hermione gave him at that comment was one of pure horror. In truth, Harry was rather surprised by how vicious he sounded .... and felt.  
  
It was Natalie's soft voice that seemed to sooth the atmosphere. "Colin did behave rather rudely last night by spending more time with his camera than with Ginny. But ... he was just so excited. And Ginny, I don't think, really minded." The young Gryffindor looked pointedly at Harry as she added, "And, he was devastated by what all has happened to Ginny. I think we all are."  
  
Harry gave a long, heavy sigh as he ran his hand through his messy black hair. "You're right, Natalie. I shouldn't have taken it out on Colin." He gave Hermione a sheepish look of apology.   
  
"Oh, Harry," Hermione muttered, smiling in a way that he knew she wasn't upset with him anymore. However, her choice of words immediately made Harry think of Ginny and what she had muttered in her sleep earlier that morning.  
  
Turning to look at Ginny, Harry noticed Cho watching him with an intense look upon her face. As soon as she saw him look at her, her expression softened. He wondered what she thought of his behavior. She hadn't made any movement or sound through the whole incident. He wasn't sure why, but that struck him as being sort of odd.  
  
Cho stood up so that Ron and Hermione could sit where she and Harry had been sitting. Walking up to Harry she said, "I think I'm going to go back to my room for a little bit to get some rest. Maybe I'll see you at dinner." She reached over and gave his hand a little squeeze, then quietly left.  
  
Harry just gazed after her for a moment. As he did so, Neville asked, "So, do they have any ideas yet on who did this to her?"  
  
From behind him, Harry heard Ron say, "No. They just know it was a curse or hex of some kind. If you ask me, I think it was Malfoy."  
  
"It couldn't be," Hermione argued. "He was there in the Great Hall with us when she collapsed."   
  
Ron interrupted her with, "Yeah, but he wasn't moments before then. Remember? He'd disappeared for about twenty minutes or so."  
  
Harry looked back at them as he asked, "Do you know where he went?" Both Ron and Hermione shook their heads no.  
  
"I know where he was," Natalie said. Harry turned back just in time to see Neville nodding encouragingly at the girl. Slowly, she went on to say, "I saw him ... and Cho ... talking down by the kitchen. Professor McGonagall had asked me to go inform the kitchen that we would be closing down the refreshment table ... and that's when I saw them ..."  
  
Harry noticed that Natalie seemed to be a bit nervous about telling them this. In a gentle voice, he asked, "Did you overhear them? Was Malfoy bothering her?"  
  
Natalie shrugged lightly. "I really don't know. I never heard anything they said. They both just seemed very ... upset."  
  
Harry cursed softly under his breath. "Malfoy's probably harassing Cho like he has been Ginny," he stated after a moment. He gazed back over at Ginny, losing himself deep in thought. Once again, he began to feel the need to confirm that she was not cold and limp as she had been in the chamber. This inner desire somehow persuaded his body to move over to the sleeping girl without him really realizing it.  
  
The second his fingers touched her smooth, silky cheek, Harry felt a wave of warmth surge through him. From somewhere far away, he thought he heard Ron asking him what he was doing. He wasn't really sure though. Slowly, Harry began to pull his hand away. As soon as their skin contact broke, he felt himself somewhat startled to find he was so close to Ginny. He glanced back to see everyone watching him curiously ... except for Ron, who was frowning at him.  
  
Shaking his head a bit, Harry mumbled, "I should go find Colin and apologize." Without another word or glanced at the others, he quickly left the hospital wing. In an almost trance, he managed to stumble his way back to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
tbc  
  
A/N: Next chapter's a big one -- The Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match and 'The Prophecy'! 


	19. Chapter 18

A/N: Opps! Sorry about taking so long to update. My life's been very hectic over the past few months. I'll try to get the rest of the chapters to this story out as soon as I can. Thanks to everyone who's emailed me, asking me to continue the story. You have no idea how uplifting it is to know that people enjoy the fanfic. I generally don't feel right asking for reviews, but I do appreciate each and every one that I get. So, thanks! And I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I write solely for the purpose of enjoyment, not for profit. HP belongs to JK Rowling, whom I admire greatly. I'm just borrowing for fun - so, please don't sue.  
  
Chapter 18:  
  
Even though Harry did apologize to Colin Creevy, he noticed that the boy still seemed wary of him. Ginny had woken up shortly after Harry had left the Hospital wing. She couldn't remember any of her nightmares and was actually surprised to find herself in the Hospital wing.  
  
Ginny's release from the Infirmary came on the night before the big Gryffindor/Slytherin Quidditch match. Hermione had insisted that everyone turn in early, so they'd be ready for the next day. Harry, however, had not been able to get much sleep. Worry about the game, combined with everything else, had made him too restless.  
  
By the time he dragged himself to breakfast, Harry was too uptight to eat a thing. And later, when he was changing into his Quidditch robe, he was sure that he'd need a potion just to keep him from throwing up. Fred gave him a friendly slap on the back as he said, "Cheer up, Mate! All you have to do is catch that shifty little Snitch and leave the rest to us."   
  
Harry just nodded. He didn't think he could stomach doing much more than that. The team headed out onto the pitch. Instantly, Harry sought out Malfoy. The blonde Slytherin was staring across the field at him. As soon as their eyes met, Malfoy began to smirk. Sighing, Harry took his starting position and waited for Madame Hooch's signal to begin play.  
  
TWEET!  
  
And the game began.  
  
Immediately, Angelina Johnson grabbed control of the Quaffle and zoomed down the pitch towards the goal posts. A Bludger rocketed by her, causing the girl to go off course to the right. Spotting Katie Bell open, Angelina passed off the ball quickly.  
  
Katie zig-zagged around the Slytherin Chasers and, within seconds, she'd scored Gryffindor's first ten points.  
  
From up above all the action, Harry sat on his Firebolt trying to spot any sparkle of gold. Malfoy suddenly appeared at his elbow.  
  
"I hear that the Weaselette had a bad dream the other night," the Slytherin Seeker smirked. "She probably dreamt of coming to the realization of what an idiot she's been for idolizing you, Potty."  
  
Harry, refusing to rise to Malfoy's bait, continued to glance around the pitch for the elusive Snitch.   
  
Malfoy sneered as he commented, "Or maybe she was just dreaming about what kind of life she'd have if she did get together with someone like you ..."  
  
Tired of Malfoy's chatter, Harry decided to take the boy on a wild goose chase. Harry snapped his head up, locking his eyes on an imaginary target. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Malfoy's haughty grin begin to fade. As soon as the blonde boy began to turn to see what Harry was looking at, Harry flew off at top speed. From behind him, he could hear Malfoy cursing up a storm.  
  
Suddenly, Harry just stopped in mid-air. Malfoy wasn't expecting this and had to swerve around the Gryffindor Seeker to avoid colliding with him. However, in doing this, Malfoy ended up running smack into one of the Slytherin Chasers ... who happened to have possession of the Quaffle at the time.  
  
As soon as the two Slytherin players ran into each other, the Chaser lost hold of the Quaffle and the ball fell into the open air. Alicia Spinnet whooshed by and grabbed it. Seconds later, the score was Gryffindor, 20 - 0.  
  
Harry was smiling bemusedly as he ascended above the game once more. His eyes, again, began to search carefully around. As his gaze fell on the bleachers, he spotted Cho. It surprised him to see that she wasn't watching him. Instead, she seemed to be looking mostly in Ron's direction. Following the same path of sight, Harry looked over to the goal posts.  
  
It was just in time to see the score go to 20 - 10. One of the Slytherin Beaters had belted Ron with a Bludger just as two Chasers with the Quaffle had come by. Fred ... or George ... Harry couldn't tell from where he was ... knocked the Bludger away from Ron when the Slytherin team tried again. It surprised Harry that they had got the Quaffle back so quickly.  
  
Katie Bell had managed to catch the Quaffle after Ron had deflected it. But then, the oddest thing happened. She dropped it, almost as if it had burned her. As she did, Katie glanced down at her hands in obvious wonder. Unfortunately, she was too preoccupied to see a Bludger streaking right for her. It slammed into the girl and knocked her off her broom. She tumbled towards the ground, only to be caught on each side by a Weasley twin.  
  
While this was going on, the one Slytherin Beater had taken to badgering Ron with the Bludger again. Their Chaser got by the redhead Keeper to tie up the score. And since Fred and George were still helping Katie, Ron ended up getting scored on two more times before Katie was back on her broom. Harry sighed heavily as he watched his best friend getting hammered.  
  
The game seemed to go down hill from then on. Every time Gryffindor got possession of the Quaffle, the Chasers would drop it. it was as if they couldn't hold on to it. Fred flew up to Harry to smack away one of the Bludgers. "We've got trouble, Harry," he shouted over to the Gryffindor Seeker. "Something's not right with the Quaffle."  
  
"Do you think it's been tampered with?" Harry asked, already knowing his own opinion on the matter. He knew that the ball could be bewitched as one of the Bludgers had been against him a couple years back.  
  
Fred yelled back to him, "I wouldn't put it past these gits. Just find the Snitch and catch it, Harry! Let's get this game over with!"  
  
Harry nodded and went back to putting all his focus into his search. This made it difficult to keep up with the game. The main thing he listened for was the score. As long as Slytherin stayed under 160 points, then Gryffindor had a chance of winning. Flying around to widen his view, Harry kept looking anxiously for the little golden ball.  
  
Time trickled by and slowly the score margin crept further apart. Gryffindor had not scored any more goals at all. It was currently Gryffindor, 20, to Slytherin, 140. If Harry caught the Snitch, then they would win, 170 - 140. But, if Slytherin scored just three more times and Gryffindor couldn't, then catching the Snitch wouldn't help. Harry had never felt so much pressure before to do his duty as Seeker.  
  
Slytherin scored again, bringing the score up to Slytherin, 150 to 20. Moving his head from side to side, Harry kept looking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Malfoy watching him with a vicious grin. This just fueled Harry all the more. The score once again changed with another Slytherin goal.  
  
It was now or never.  
  
Then ... sparkling in the sunlight, Harry saw it. The Snitch was hoovering under the stands where some of the Gryffindor students were cheering. Harry took a quick glance at Malfoy to discover that the boy was too busy watching the game. Shifting slightly on his Firebolt, Harry paused only a second and then shot off towards the shimmering Snitch.  
  
As the wind roared through his ears, Harry could hear the crowd screaming. He leaned down lower on his broom, urging it on faster. He was within ten feet of the golden ball when he heard something that made his stomach lurch.  
  
"SLYTHERIN Scores again! ... It's now 170 to 20 ... and What's This?! ... Harry Potter seems to have spotted the Snitch! ... YES! YES! He has ... OH NO! ... Don't get it Yet, Har..."  
  
Professor McGonagall must have stopped Lee Jordan from continuing as his voice suddenly disappeared.  
  
Now Harry had to made a quick and difficult decision. The Snitch was right there, within easy reach. But grabbing it now would result in a tie ... and a Sudden Death round. But if he let it go, they might not be able to catch up enough with scoring ... and he'd be risking the chance that Malfoy could get the Snitch instead.  
  
Making up his mind, Harry reached forward with all his might and wrapped his fingers around the fluttering golden orb.  
  
Instantly, Madame Hooch blew her whistle and yelled, "That's Game! The score is tied at 170. We move on to the Sudden Death Round!" Cheers erupted across the stadium as the two teams prepared themselves for this next task.  
  
As Harry no longer had any responsibility out in the field, he just stayed hoovering on his broom near the Gryffindor stands. A voice by him, startled him by saying, "Great Catch, Harry!" He glanced over to see Seamus and Dean smiling widely at him. Near them sat Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Natalie, and Colin. Harry noticed that Collin wouldn't even look at him. Ginny, however, caught his eye and gave him a soft smile.  
  
Turning his attention back to the game, Harry watched as Gryffindor prepared to take the first shot. Madame Hooch must have brought out a new Quaffle or it just wasn't enchanted anymore. Angelina Johnson had a good grip on it and was maneuvering to throw the ball. She let it loose, sending it straight at the goal hoop. However, the Slytherin Keeper got in front of it and batted it away.  
  
A groan rose from everyone, except the Slytherins. One of the Slytherin Chasers was setting up to take a go a the Gryffindor posts. Harry could see Ron concentrating fiercely. The Slytherin moved quickly and released the ball. But it was no problem as Ron easily deflected the Quaffle. Now the stadium roared with cheers which drowned out the Slytherins' moans.  
  
Alicia Spinnet was up next for Gryffindor. She took her time to get set up. Then, in a flash, she'd zoomed around so she had an open shot at the hoops. It was only open for a brief moment, but it was all she needed. Lee Jordan yelled out with pure excitement, "GRYFFINDOR SCORES!" The crowd cheered again, as did Harry.  
  
Now the pressure was again on Ron. If he couldn't block this shot, then the Sudden Death round would continue. But, if he did stop it, the Gryffindor team would win.  
  
Harry held his breath as another of the Slytherin Chasers flew up to give it a go. "Come on, Ron ... You can do it, Ron!" kept being muttered from Harry's mouth. The Slytherin took aim, then released the Quaffle.  
  
It felt to Harry as if everything had slowed down. He watched with fascination as Ron's eyes widened in their scrutiny of the oncoming ball. Then, most naturally, he leaned towards where the ball was heading. It seemed as if it were going to be too far away. But Ron pushed himself up on his broom as he stretched to his fullest. His fingertips grazed the surface of the ball, causing it to hesitate in a mid-air spin. Taking a slight jump on his broom, Ron reached up and grabbed hold of the Quaffle with one hand.  
  
For just a moment, there was silence. Then a sound of utter joy and excitement filled the air as Lee Jordan exclaimed loudly, "HE BLOCKED THE BALL! RON WEASLEY BLOCKED THE BALL! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"  
  
Harry, too excited, did a loop de loop right in front of the Gryffindor stands. Then he flew to where Ron was still hoovering, staring down at the red ball in his hands.  
  
Nearly tackling his best friend, Harry boomed, "You Did It, Ron!" Soon, the whole team was squished tightly in a team hug. They descended to the ground, only to be greeted by the zealous Gryffindor students. Ron wasn't even off his broom when Hermione rushed up to him.   
  
"Oh Ron! You were Brilliant!" she shouted as tears ran past her bright smile. She flung her arms around the boy and hugged him tightly. "You were Incredible!"  
  
Ron, redder than the Quaffle, just grinned foolishly, then sputtered, "Hermione! Ger' off! You'll get all sweaty!"  
  
Harry didn't really think that Hermione looked as if she cared if she got all sweaty or not. But still, seeing the others watching them with amusement, she let go of Ron. She didn't move away from him, though.   
  
A small tug on his robe made Harry glance down beside him. Ginny stood there, smiling. "That was a great catch, Harry ... and a smart call."  
  
Harry beamed down at her. He laughed happily as her cheeks turned a bit rosy when he swung an arm around her shoulders to pull her into a hug.  
  
The group slowly made their way out of the stadium. Just as they got outside of the walls, Harry noticed Cho standing a bit up off the path that led back to the castle. Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin team were stomping their way up ahead of the crowd. As the Slytherin Seeker passed by the Ravenclaw girl, Harry saw that Cho's face looked absolutely furious as she stared at Malfoy.  
  
Quickening his pace, Harry tried to get to Cho's side before Malfoy could start any trouble. To his surprise, Malfoy just kept walking. When Harry reached Cho, he touched her shoulder to get her attention. Immediately, the girl jumped and turned her glare onto Harry.  
  
"I'm sorry," Harry stated. "Didn't mean to startle you. Did Malfoy say something to you?"  
  
Cho shook her head, though she still looked upset. Harry felt as though she were keeping something from him. But, not wanting to pressure her too much, he stayed quiet about it. Instead, he asked nervously, "So ... what'd you think about the game?"  
  
For a minute, Cho didn't answer. This made Harry feel a bit uncomfortable. Finally, though, she said in a quiet voice, "It was a good game."  
  
That was Not how Harry would have described the game, but he assumed that Cho was referring to the ending of the game. The girl went on to say, "I was surprised that you took such a risk by catching the Snitch when you did. You could have easily lost the game for your entire team."  
  
Harry stared at her for a second, unsure of how to take her comment. On one hand, she too was a Seeker and could be just giving him some helpful advice. On the other hand, having her do so made Harry's spirit drop somewhat. He could feel a heavy sigh building within him ... almost as if he were a balloon preparing to deflate.  
  
Before the sigh could leave him, Harry noticed some of his fellow Gryffindors walking past them. Ron had an arm slung over the shoulders of both Hermione and Ginny. The three were smiling and chatting as they passed by. Ginny turned and looked over at Harry. She gave him a small wave along with a brilliant smile. Immediately, the sigh faded and Harry found himself taking in a quick breath instead.  
  
Cho hadn't noticed as she was staring off at the Quidditch pitch. Harry returned his attention to her when she said, "But, you did give it your all. That's how the game should always be played." Nodding, Harry just watched her silently. Cho gave him a steady look as she added, "You Will be giving your all at the next game ... right?! Against my team."  
  
"Of course," Harry answered without hesitation. He would have said more, but Professor McGonagall had just then come up to the pair, followed by Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Mr. Potter," the stern teacher said, though her eyes seemed to hold a rare sparkle in them today. "Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with you, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger."  
  
Looking perplexed, Harry asked, "Why? We haven't done anything to get in trouble lately."  
  
Professor McGonagall's eyes seemed to twinkle with even more amusement at that comment, though her expression remained stony. "Be that as it may, the Headmaster has requested that you three be sent to his office ... so you shall all three go! This is not up for discussion, Mr. Potter."  
  
Harry frowned as he muttered, "Yes, Professor McGonagall." Looking at Cho, he asked, "Do you want to meet later for dinner?"  
  
Cho, who was looking curiously at Professor McGonagall, shook her head. "I've got a lot of school work to do. I'll just see you tomorrow at breakfast."  
  
Nodding, Harry said nothing. He'd sort of hoped that Cho might give him another kiss on the cheek ... even if it would have to be in front of the professor and his friends. But, the Ravenclaw girl muttered a good-bye and quickly turned to head up to the castle.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed Professor McGonagall up to Professor Dumbledore's office. She gave the password to let them in, then said, "Go Straight up and wait for him up there." The three teens looked at each other in bewilderment. Seeing that the professor was not going to leave until they were upstairs, they turned to head up. "Oh, and Mr. Weasley ... Mr. Potter!" The two boys turned back to their Transfigurations teacher. The corners of her mouth quirked up slightly into a rare smile as she said, "Well done today."  
  
Ron and Harry just looked at each other with surprise, then both muttered thanks. Professor McGonagall's expression instantly returned to her usual firm look as she nodded for them to go up the stairs. Not wanting to provoke her wrath, the boys turned and followed Hermione up to Professor Dumbledore's office.  
  
Harry had been in the Headmaster's office several times before. Right off, he noticed that Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's Phoenix, was not there. This rather surprised him as, aside from the Chamber of Secrets, he'd never seen the bird anywhere else but this office. A large, fiery bird flying around the castle or gounds was not the sort of thing one might easily miss seeing.  
  
"Hey!" Ron stated from across the room. "What's this?"  
  
Walking over to his best friend, Harry peered down at what Ron was looking at. Upon seeing what it was, Harry took in a deep breath. "That's a Pensieve," Harry answered, not looking at Ron.   
  
To his amusement, though, Ron nearly gushed, "Cool!" Then the redhead started to bend closer to the round bowl to get a better look at it.  
  
"You'll want to be careful there, Ron," Hermione stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "That's a powerful object of magic."  
  
Ron glanced back at her with a perturbed expression on his face. Harry, however, said calmly, "I've seen this one work. It's Professor Dumbledore's."  
  
Now turning his attention to Harry, Ron said, "Really? So, you've seen some of Dumbledore's memories?" Harry silently nodded. "Wicked cool," Ron murmured as he began once more to move closer to the Pensieve. "Oy ... what's it doing that for?" Both Harry and Hermione moved closer to look.  
  
"Oh no," Hermione uttered in a quiet voice. "I think you've activated it or something, Ron."  
  
Harry turned his attention from his startled friends to the device in front of them. The Pensieve was beginning to swirl. Without realizing it, all three students began to slowly inch closer to the swirling silvery liquid.  
  
Suddenly, Harry felt the office disappear around him. He, instead, was standing in the Great Hall ... only it looked somehow different.   
  
"Where the bloody hell are we?" Ron said, appearing at Harry's shoulder.  
  
From the other side of Ron, Harry heard Hermione scold, "Language, Ron." Ron's expression went sour, but he continued to look around. Hermione went on to say, "I believe that we're seeing one of Professor Dumbledore's memories."  
  
Before they could say anything more, the door from the main entrance burst open and several people came hurrying in. Two boys were carrying a girl between them. She didn't appear to be unconscious, but she also didn't seem to be fully awake.  
  
"What has happened?" a voice asked behind them.  
  
They all turned around to see a younger Albus Dumbledore sitting at a table. At first, it almost appeared as if he were looking at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But then, the sound of footsteps behind the three made them realize that the professor was watching the others and not them.   
  
Hermione said in a tone as if reassuring herself, "They can't see us. This is all just a replay of Professor Dumbledore's memory."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore," one of the boys huffed. "Syb's gone all crazy. She was just staring into the fireplace one second, then she started muttering and moaning. She's not possessed, is she?"  
  
Chuckling softly, Professor Dumbledore shook his head. "No, no, Mr. Longbottom. I hardly believe that to be the case. Come! Set her down over here."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all staring open mouthed at the scene. In a shocked voice, Ron said, "Did he just say Longbottom?"  
  
Hermione nodded, then gulped. Equally surprised, she stated, "That must be Neville's father ..."  
  
It was Harry, though, that interrupted to choke out, "And That there is ... Professor Trelawney." Now both Ron and Hermione turned their attention to the young girl who was lying on the bench.  
  
"No way," Ron muttered.  
  
The door was thrown open again. In bustled Madame Pomfrey, though much younger looking, and another woman who looked somewhat familiar. This woman walked up to Neville's father and glowered at him. "What was the meaning of that? I was in the midst of telling you something of extreme import..."  
  
"Mrs. Longbottom," Professor Dumbledore interrupted with a quiet grin. "The boys were just helping Miss Trelawney. Apparently the girl seems to have fallen into a trance. Am I correct, Poppy?"  
  
Madame Pomfrey was checking the girl out at the time. Silently, she just nodded.  
  
Suddenly, the younger Trelawney sat up, nearly knocking over Madame Pomfrey. The girl's eyes were open wide ... and it seemed to Harry that she was looking directly at *him*.   
  
'But that's impossible,' Harry thought as he watched her closely. Mrs. Longbottom began to open her mouth to speak, but the other boy who'd helped carry Trelawney in spoke up first.  
  
"She's going to speak ... she's going to say something."  
  
In a deep, yet soft voice, Trelawney began to recite:  
  
"Four across the waters glide  
  
More to join, some to die  
  
The white-tailed doe, six pillars guard  
  
Till the flower's seed, planted, does bloom  
  
Let the two join that the stag  
  
May ride with the bolt of light  
  
Their combined force, the powers shift  
  
With Fire, Air, and Earth must they mix  
  
All must be as it needs to be  
  
Let the houses be tethered in Life and Death  
  
Balance amongst the enemy must exist  
  
As must resolution amongst the Sea's of Dead  
  
Champions step forward; links to the gone  
  
Protectors of the house Guardians  
  
When four rings are formed  
  
Around the Sight and the Soul  
  
With fear's protector, the night of Death and Life appears  
  
May the blade pass, innocent to innocent  
  
Til the soul, pure, having meld with evil  
  
Strikes the blow to shatter the darkness  
  
One battle won, One yet to come  
  
A long journey without a path  
  
Follow thy heart, thy memory, thy guide  
  
Till tears of Fire wash the curse away"  
  
As Trelawney slumped back down on the bench, everyone glanced around in bewilderment. Harry, Ron, and Hermione did as well. Just as Ron stated, "Now I Know for sure that she's nutters ... always has been, always will be," the room around them changed. Once more, they found themselves back in Professor Dumbledore's office.  
  
Harry backed up from the Pensieve, then flopped down into a nearby chair. "That must have been the first one that Professor Dumbledore was talking about," he muttered mostly to himself. He glanced up quickly when Ron began to speak.  
  
"What do you mean ... first what?"  
  
Giving both of his friends a long look, Harry finally answered, "Trelawney's first Real prediction." Hermione made a small snorting noise.  
  
"That woman's a flake, Harry. And a fraud. I doubt that she's Ever predicted anything correctly."  
  
Harry just shook his head as he replied, "She predicted that Pettigrew would escape and aid Voldemort to rise back into power ... that was right on ..."  
  
The door to the office suddenly swung open, interrupting their conversation. They turned to see Professor Dumbledore entering the room. He looked tired, yet content. "Ah yes ... good, good," he stated upon seeing the teens. "I won't keep you long. I just wanted you to be the first to hear."  
  
Harry felt his stomach knot up with anxiety as he waited for Professor Dumbledore to continue speaking.  
  
"I have just received word that we will be having a new Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher at the beginning of the next month ... shortly after the full moon ..."   
  
At this news, all three teens exclaimed, "Professor Lupin?!"  
  
Professor Dumbledore chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling. "I see I was correct in thinking this might be something that would make you all happy." Harry, Ron, and Hermione all nodded silently. "Well, then ... I won't delay you any longer from celebrating your Outstanding win against Slytherin. And I must say, Well Done, Mr. Weasley ... Most impressive playing."  
  
Ron was grinning ear to ear as they left Professor Dumbledore's office. He and Hermione were chatting excitedly about Professor Lupin's return to Hogwarts and the incredible finish to the Quidditch game.   
  
Harry, however, found his mind drifting back to the incident they had witnessed in the Great Hall, many years ago. 'What does it all mean?' he thought silently, following more slowly behind his two friends.  
  
tbc --- Next chapter: Valentine's Day! (And I'll try my best to actually get it posted before we all celebrate Valentine's day, ourselves) 


	20. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: HP is not mine - just borrowing. Please don't sue.  
  
Chapter 19:  
  
Weeks passed by in a flurry ... literally. The whole Hogwarts Castle had found themselves snow bound just days after the Gryffindor/Slytherin match. Of course, that didn't really change much of anything for the students. They still had classes ... and homework ... meals ... and homework ... quidditch practice ... and, of course, lots of homework.  
  
On top of all this, Hermione was constantly dragging Ron and Harry off to the Library to research the so-called prediction they had heard through Professor Dumbledore's pensieve. This had come as a major surprise to the boys since Hermione was known for not believing in the art of Divination.  
  
But, apparently, she'd come across a reference to the incident in an old journal she'd looked through once. According to the journal, the prophecy had similarities to some ancient writings in another book that the writer had read. But, no name of the other book was given.  
  
Hermione decided that the Library at Hogwarts MUST have a copy of this mysterious book. So, every day, sometimes several times a day, the three students would haul themselves to the Library to search book by book. It was on such an evening, Harry was sitting at one of the tables with Cho. She'd taken to studying with Harry and his friends while they did their research.  
  
Harry slammed closed the book he'd been looking at and sighed heavily with frustration. Immediately Cho looked up and gave him a questioning look. "This is SO stupid," he muttered. "I need to get out of here. You want to go for a walk?"  
  
Cho just frowned at him as she answered, "Harry! There's a blizzard outside. Not exactly ideal walking conditions."  
  
"I meant around the castle," Harry said irritably.  
  
The expression on Cho's face didn't change. "You know, Harry, you ought to quit this silly search of yours and study more for your O.W.L.S.! You're not going to do very well if you haven't studied."  
  
Harry began to scowl slightly. "I hardly think studying for my O.W.L.S. qualifies as a means of a break from this book hunt."  
  
Cho gave a soft sigh. "Well, if you're looking for a change, we could talk about this Saturday's game."  
  
That surprised Harry. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly. "You're not suggesting that we tell each other our team's secrets, are you?"  
  
"Of Course Not!" Cho spat out at him. "I was only thinking we could talk about how rough the game will be in this weather."  
  
Harry gave her an odd look before he said, "Well, yeah ... that's rather obvious. I'm not sure how we'll be able to see each other well enough to keep from crashing ... let alone, see the Snitch. We may be looking at a long game."  
  
Cho nodded slowly. Then, hesitantly, she said, "Harry? I want to ask you something. This Saturday, during the game, you will ... try your best, won't you?"  
  
"Of course I will," Harry answered, not at all sure what Cho was getting at. "Won't you be trying your best, too?" he asked quietly.  
  
With a fierce determination in her tone, Cho replied, "I ALWAYS play to win." Then she paused, giving Harry an odd look. "I just want to make sure that you're not planning to go all soft and let me catch the Snitch."  
  
Now Harry looked appalled. "Why would I just let you catch the Snitch? I mean, I plan to give my all ... and I hope that you'll be doing the same."  
  
Cho nodded silently, then glanced down at the parchment in front of her. "Um ... you know, Harry, I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
The Ravenclaw girl quickly gathered her belongings and left a bewildered Harry behind. She was in such a hurry that she nearly ran over Ron as he came up to the table.  
  
"Woah!" the redhead stated, dodging out of Cho's way. Turning to Harry, he asked, "Where's she off to in such a big hurry?" All Harry could do was shrug.  
  
The weather finally cleared up some on the day of the game between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Harry and Cho ended up not seeing much of each other since the night at the Library. This was mostly due, Harry figured, to pre-game nerves. It just didn't seem to be right to eat breakfast with the Seeker of the opposing team.  
  
The snow covered field was glistening brightly in the sunshine. It was difficult to even look at the ground because it was so bright. Harry looked around the stadium instead as he waited for the game to begin. It wasn't too difficult to spot his fellow housemates. They stood out in their red and gold clothing amongst the white snow.  
  
As he glanced over the faces in the stands, Harry spotted Hermione. She was looking back at him while peering through her omnioculars. When Harry smiled and mouthed, 'Hi, Hermione!', she immediately began to wave wildly at him. She, then, handed the omnioculars to the person next to her. Harry had no trouble recognizing the owner of the red hair blowing around the face that was presently peering down at him.  
  
Harry's smile widened as he mouthed, 'Hey, Gin! Cheer loud for me!' Ginny suddenly dropped the glasses from in front of her face. For some reason, this made Harry chuckle. He waved up to her and soon saw her waving back and nodding her head.  
  
A movement across from him grabbed Harry's attention. Turning, he saw the Ravenclaw team taking their positions. His gaze sought out Cho, who appeared to be looking for him, too. As their eyes locked, Harry gave a small, yet encouraging smile. Cho nodded her head once with just the slightest hint of a grin on her pretty face.  
  
Madame Hooch blew the whistle and the game began. This game had a different feel to it from the Slytherin match. It was still competitive, but not so hostile. Harry watched for awhile as the Chasers from each team darted around the pitch. Every once in awhile, one team would score. Cho hoovered nearby, doing the same as Harry.  
  
Suddenly, Cho took off towards the stands where the Gryffindor fans sat. Fearing that she might have spotted the Snitch, Harry took off after her. He had no trouble catching up. Looking around closely, Harry searched for any sign of the Golden Snitch ... but there was none. Realizing he'd just been fooled, Harry pulled his Firebolt to a stop. He glanced behind him to find Cho sitting on her broom, chuckling at him.  
  
Harry had to laugh, too. No one had ever fooled him so easily. Eyes sparkling, Cho gave him a small wave and flew back up over the middle of the pitch. Harry was just about to follow when he heard his name being called from behind him. Turning, he saw Hermione waving at him. "HARRY! HARRY! DID YOU SEE THAT SAVE RON HAD? IT WAS INCREDIBLE! GOOD LUCK FINDING THE SNITCH, HARRY! I KNOW ..."  
  
But Harry only barely heard her. His gaze had shifted over to Ginny. He'd expected her to be waving and cheering, too. Instead, she was just standing there squinting down at the one end of the pitch. Harry turned to see what she was looking at ... and then he saw it. The Snitch! It was fluttering around the bottom of one of the goal posts.  
  
Harry cast a quick glance at Cho, but she was facing the other direction. For a brief moment, he felt a little guilty going for the Snitch behind her back. But, that was how the game was played. Not wasting another second, Harry began to descend to where the Snitch was still zipping around in circles.  
  
A noise sounded just to his side and Harry chanced a look to see what it was. There, next to him, was Cho. She was bent low over her broom, concentrating hard on the object below. Harry knew that she was giving her all ... and could actually beat him to the Snitch if he didn't act fast.  
  
Leaning down against his own broom, Harry began to pick up speed. He turned his attention completely on the small golden orb. Getting it would be tricky, seeing as it was still circling tightly around the base of the post. Harry stretched out his one hand as he neared his target. The Snitch darted behind the post, but Harry had anticipated that. At the last moment, he switched directions enough to head around the post in the opposite direction that the small ball was going.  
  
In doing so, Harry met up with the golden ball and grabbed it quickly as it tried to get by him. Even as his fingers were tightening around the orb, Harry could see Cho flying past on the opposite side of the goal post.  
  
Cho pulled her broom to a stop and looked wide-eyed at him. Hesitantly, Harry smiled at her as he shrugged his shoulders. The corners of her mouth began to twitch. Next thing Harry knew, he was being dragged back into the middle of the stadium by Fred and George. Harry tried to break free from them to find Cho, but they refused to let go.  
  
It was twenty minutes later when Harry finally was able to catch up with the Ravenclaw Seeker. "Hey," he called out nervously as he approached her.  
  
Cho turned and smiled brightly at him. "That was a GREAT catch, Harry! But I almost had you beat." Harry chuckled as he nodded. Giving him a shy look, she went on to say, "You definitely gave your all ... I really appreciate that, Harry."  
  
"I was a little worried that you might have been upset because I played that way," Harry confessed to her.  
  
shaking her head, Cho told him, "I could never be upset with someone doing their best. But, I would have been furious if I'd thought you hadn't given your all. I don't want anyone's pity." Harry could understand that, so he silently nodded. "Anyway," Cho continued, her dark eyes now sparkling with wonder, "That was a fantastic game."  
  
It was at this moment that Harry suddenly found himself leaning close to Cho. Her flashing eyes and joyful smile seemed to be making his body behave on its own. Before he realized what he was doing, his lips were firmly pressed against Cho's rosy cheek. Hearing her breath in sharply, he quickly pulled back.  
  
Cho was standing there, gazing at him with such wide eyes. Slowly, she raised her hand and gingerly touched her cheek where Harry had kissed her. "Um ..." she muttered, blushing deeply. "Well, you should go celebrate your win."   
  
Harry reached out to her as he said, "Cho? Are you okay?"  
  
Nodding very fast, Cho took a step back from him. "Oh yes! I'm fine. Just a bit tired. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Harry!" And with that, she turned and joined a group of her Ravenclaw friends.  
  
Harry watched her walk away, wondering the whole time what he'd done wrong. Too worn out to try and figure out why females behaved so oddly at times, Harry sighed and started the long trek up to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
The next day at breakfast, Harry only saw Cho briefly as she came rushing into the Great Hall to grab a slice of toast. "I've got an Arithmancy test that I completely forgot about, Harry. I've really got to go study for it." Then, without waiting for any response, she rushed back out of the hall. Harry just gave another sigh and finished eating alone.  
  
Because of the break in the weather, Professor Dumbledore had arranged for an impromptu visit to Hogsmeade for the older students. Harry had planned on going with Cho, but that wasn't going to happen if she needed to study. He was fairly certain that Ron and Hermione had already left. So, by himself, he set off to the town.  
  
In truth, Harry didn't mind too much. He wandered around the different shops for awhile. In a new gift shop called, The Courdion Magical Gifts, Harry came across a section of Valentine Day gifts and cards. Up until that moment, he hadn't given any thought to the approaching holiday. He wondered if he should get Cho something or not. If he did and she didn't want him to, she'd be upset. But then, if he didn't and she expected something ...  
  
"Needing some help, Dearie?" a kind voice asked from behind him. Harry turned to find an elderly woman grinning with amusement at him. "Are you looking for something special for someone special?"  
  
Harry hesitated, then slowly nodded. The woman chuckled as she said, "Ah ... I see. not sure how special a something to get, eh? Don't want to overdo it, but definitely don't want to under do it."  
  
"Yeah, Harry stated with a small sigh of relief that the woman seemed to understand his situation. "See, it's sort of complicated. I'm sort of dating this girl who I really like ... and she seems to like me, too ... but, she's got some difficult issues that she's dealing with. I mean, we're dating ... but yet, we're not really a couple ... or not a complete one ..." Harry closed his mouth, feeling really stupid for having rattled on as he did.  
  
The older woman, however, was nodding her head as she continued to beam with amusement. Beckoning him to follow, she said, "Well, I'm sure we've got just the perfect thing here somewhere, Dearie. Oh, here ... how about a lovely little diary?" Harry must have made an odd face because the woman placed the diary back as she muttered, "Obviously not."  
  
They looked through a variety of other ideas, but Harry just wasn't taken with any of them. They were walking over to some flower arrangements when Harry saw something that made him stop. In a glass case was a medium sized, white, fluffy teddy bear. What had caught his eye was the small object that the bear was holding in between its front paws. It was a Golden Snitch. A shiny Golden Snitch, complete with long, white wings. "What about that?" he asked.  
  
The woman looked at what Harry was pointing to and smiled. "Ah, Yes! That is a one of a kind stuffed animal. Plays music ... and the wings on the Snitch flutter. There are some others ..."  
  
But Harry interrupted her. "That's what I want to give her. It'll be perfect."  
  
After a moment's hesitation, the woman went over and retrieved the bear. Harry paid for it and thanked the lady for all her help. She just continued to smile amusedly as she waved good-bye to him.  
  
Harry eventually met up with Ron and Hermione at the Three Broomsticks. Together, they headed back to the castle, chatting about all the shops they'd visited. Harry, not wanting to be teased by Ron, didn't mention the gift for Cho, which he'd stuffed in his cloak pocket.  
  
If Harry thought that he'd be seeing Cho much over the next couple days, he was very wrong. She seemed to be overly busy with homework, Quidditch practice, and various other activities. It wasn't until dinner the night before Valentine's Day that the two got a moment together.  
  
They sat at the Ravenclaw table, eating quietly. Suddenly, Cho asked, "So ... how's your search for that one book going? What was it that you needed it for?"  
  
Harry was a bit surprised that she'd asked this. "W-we still haven't found it yet," he answered, watching her pick at her food.  
  
Cho pushed some food around with her fork before saying, "And ... what is the book for? A paper or something?"  
  
Not knowing why he did it, Harry found himself saying, "Yeah ... it's for a report ... for Divinations. Extra credit stuff."  
  
Cho continued to look at her plate as she muttered, "Oh ... well, I hope you find it soon."  
  
Harry felt like a complete prat. He'd just lied to Cho ... and he didn't know why. He was just opening his mouth to tell her the truth when she said, "Well, Harry ... tomorrow's Valentine's Day." Whatever words had been forming in Harry's mouth became firmly stuck in his throat. Silently, he nodded. "I've got a very busy schedule, but ... would you like to meet me after dinner tomorrow night ... to go for a walk?"  
  
"Yeah," Harry managed to croak out.  
  
Cho smiled at him with a bit of relief. "Great! I'll meet you by the front entrance at eight. Well ... I better get some rest. our captain's got us doing double practices for the Slytherin match ... and it's a whole month away. I'm going to be a walking zombie if she keeps this up."  
  
As Cho got up from the table, she gave a quick wave and walked off. Not having anything better to do, Harry headed to the Library to do some more research. As he walked, he began to wonder again why he'd lied to Cho. Then his thoughts switched to the fact that in roughly twenty-four hours, he'd be going for a walk with her in the ... Gardens! Feeling a tad anxious, Harry decided it might be best to not think too hard about it.  
  
Harry kept up that philosophy until dinner the next night. As he did every year at Valentine's Day, Harry'd been trying to avoid the twins. They had the habit of singing to him each and every time they saw him on that day. If he had to hear how his eyes were like 'fresh pickled toads' one more time, he'd scream.  
  
For that purpose, Harry had come down early for dinner while Hermione and Ginny did all they could to delay the twins' eating. The two girls had been helping him out all day. Ron, on the other hand, didn't understand what the big deal was. "So they're acting like fools ... nothing new there. Just let them."  
  
But Harry couldn't. So, he quickly ate his dinner and then slipped out of the Great Hall. He was heading a back way up to the Gryffindor Tower when he overheard voices around the corner.  
  
"Did you hear what Carly got from Jonathon for Valentine's Day?" a girl's voice asked in a secretive sort of way. Harry heard more than one girl reply with comments like, "No, what?" and "What did he get her?" Feeling foolish about going around the corner in the midst of this conversation, Harry ducked into a curtained alcove.  
  
The girls footsteps echoed in the hall as they turned to the area Harry had just been. "Go ahead," the first girl's voice said. "Tell them, Cho."  
  
Harry perked up at the sound of Cho's name. Then, he heard her laugh lightly as she said, "Oh, it was this tacky stuffed toy. Can you imagine ... something like that at OUR age." Suddenly, Harry felt more foolish than he would have interrupting the girls' conversation a moment earlier.  
  
The first girl asked as they passed Harry's hiding place, "What did Harry get you, Cho?"  
  
Silence was the only answer that Harry heard. Another girl snorted as she said, "Well, I highly doubt it's going to be some silly toy ... I mean, this IS Harry Potter that we're talking about."  
  
Cho interrupted in a soft voice, "It doesn't matter to me what Harry gets me ... as long as it doesn't have anything to do with Quidditch."  
  
Harry stood in the alcove just trying to breath. It was like one of those nightmares where the dreamer arrives to a test late in only his underwear. He was supposed to meet Cho in a little over an hour ... and the only present he had for her was a stuffed bear that she'd think too childish, holding a Snitch which she definitely didn't want.  
  
With a burst of energy, Harry tore out of the alcove as soon as he deemed it safe. Racing up to the Gryffindor common room, he nearly stumbled as he entered and noticed Hermione coming down from the girls' dormatory. "HERMIONE!" he yelled, startling her.   
  
As Harry rushed up to her, Hermione asked nervously, "Harry? What's wrong?"  
  
It took a couple minutes for Harry to coherently explain to Hermione what the emergency was. And even when he had finally succeeded, Hermione's reaction was to be highly irritated. "Oh Harry," she said with a frown. "Just calm down. I'm sure that Cho will like the bear just fine ..."  
  
But Harry was convinced that she wouldn't. "Fine," Hermione said with exasperation. "Why don't you just magic some roses for her?"  
  
Harry looked at Hermione with amazement. "You can do that? ... Brilliant!" he uttered, pulling his wand out of his pocket. For a second, he just stared at it, then he looked up at Hermione and asked, "Um ... how do I do that?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Point your wand as you say, 'Orchideus Roses'. They'll come out white. To change the color of them, just concentrate really hard on what you want them to look like and tap each flower with your wand."  
  
Doing as she said, Harry soon had a dozen long stemmed, dusty rose colored flowers. "Perfect," he said, then smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Hermione! You're a life saver!"  
  
Smiling back, Hermione rolled her eyes again. "I'm sure she'll love them. Now, I better get down to dinner. Ginny's probably pulling her hair out trying to handle those brothers of hers alone."  
  
Harry said good-bye, then ran up to his room to freshen up. Ignoring the room's mirror, which had to comment on his messy hair, Harry straightened his robes and sighed. He reached into his pocket to pull out the stuffed bear, but stopped as the door burst open. As Seamus and Dean came rushing in laughing, Harry pushed the bear back into his pocket.  
  
Picking up the roses, Harry quickly left the room. He hadn't missed the looks on his roommates' faces, though. Feeling nervous and all hot, he headed down to the front entrance as fast as he could. When he got there, Harry looked around to find Cho. She wasn't there yet.  
  
However, over by one of the windows was a familiar redhead. Harry hesitantly approached and said, "Hey, Ginny!"  
  
Ginny jumped and spun around to look at him with wide eyes. "I'm sorry," Harry said quickly. "I didn't mean to startle you."  
  
Giving a bashful grin, Ginny said, "It's okay. I think the twins have my nerves stretched as thin as is possible." Harry nodded as he smiled with understanding.   
  
"So ... um ... are you here to meet someone?" Harry asked. He wasn't sure why, but he felt strangely nervous about asking her this.  
  
Ginny seemed to be nervous about answering as she turned a brilliant red and stuttered, "Oh ... um ... well .... you see ..."  
  
"HARRY! There you are!"  
  
Harry looked behind him to see Cho marching up to them with a look of determination. She gave Ginny an odd look, then smiled as she said, "Hello, Ginny. Happy Valentine's Day! You here to meet someone, too? Well, we're going to take a walk out to the Gardens. It's a perfect night to do so." Smiling coyly, she slipped her arm into Harry's. She looked at him expectantly as she said, "Ready, Harry?"  
  
"Um ... yeah," Harry said unsurely. It bothered him that Cho was acting odd with Ginny. He glanced over at his friend and immediately felt worse. Ginny looked as if she was about to burst into tears. He took a step towards her as he asked, "Are you okay, Gin?"  
  
Ginny nodded, then gave him a small smile. "Just a little worn out. You have a nice walk." Harry nodded as Cho began to pull him away. He'd just turned to look towards the door when Ginny's voice rang out suddenly. "HARRY! WAIT! I ... um ..."  
  
Turning back to her, Harry could easily see her discomfort. He whispered to Cho that he'd be right back, then went over to his distraught friend. "What's the matter, Gin? Is it your nightmares?" Ginny shook her head, avoiding eye contact with him. "Is it Malfoy? Has he done something or said something to you? If he's been bothering you, just let me know. I'll take care of him."  
  
Suddenly, Ginny looked up at him. A dazzling smile lit up her pretty face as she gazed into Harry's eyes. A sort of tingling sensation seemed to soar through his whole body, causing Harry to give a small, involuntary shiver. Ginny blinked with surprise. Without a word, she shoved something into Harry's hand. He glanced down at the small, rectangular box he held. "What's this?"  
  
All Ginny said, though, was, "Happy Valentine's Day, Harry," then quickly ran up the stairs.  
  
Harry looked back down at the box. Hearing Cho calling to him, he slipped the package into his cloak pocket. He figured that he could look at it later. Heading back over to Cho, Harry said, "Ready to go?"  
  
Cho gave him a questioning look, then glanced over to the stairs. "What did Ginny want?"  
  
With a small smile, Harry replied, "Just wanted to wish me a Happy Valentine's Day ... and remind me to watch out for her twin brothers."  
  
Luckily, Cho seemed to accept this explanation. The two exited the castle and began to stroll down to the Gardens. Nervously, Harry thrusted the roses out as he said, "These ... er ... are for you! Happy Valentine's Day, Cho!"  
  
Cho stopped and stared at the flowers he was holding out to her. Slowly, she reached out and took them. She looked a bit teary eyed as she whispered, "Oh Harry ... they're beautiful! Thank you!"  
  
Immediately, Harry felt as if he could breath regularly again. He watched Cho breath in the flowers' aroma. "They won't wilt," he told her quietly.   
  
Again, Cho stared down at the roses. In a soft murmur that Harry almost couldn't hear, she said, "You mean ... they'll never die?"  
  
Harry nodded, not sure whether he'd upset her or not. The two started to walk again, silently. Just as they got to the archway to the Garden path, Harry felt Cho's small hand slip into his. His heart began to beat so fast and loud, he was sure that everyone on the grounds could hear it. After a bit of a walk, they reached a clearing. Cho stopped, bringing Harry to a stop, too.  
  
Looking at her, Harry saw Cho pull something out of her cloak pocket. With a shy smile, she handed it to him. "Happy Valentine's Day, Harry!"  
  
Harry glanced down to find a beautifully knitted scarf in his hands. It had Gryffindor's colors, but the Hogwart's emblem was on each end. As he examined it closer, Cho told him, "I thought you might like this rather than that old one you wear now."  
  
This made Harry frown. He looked down at the scarf he currently had around his neck. It was the one the Ginny had made him for Christmas. He always wore it when he went outside. He wasn't sure what to say to Cho, though. True, the scarf she'd given him was beautifully made ... but in his eyes, so was the one from Ginny.  
  
Still, Harry didn't want to upset Cho, so he smiled brightly at her. Taking off Ginny's scarf, he placed it in his cloak pocket on top of the box the youngest Weasley had given to him just a bit earlier. Then, he slipped on the new scarf from Cho as he said quietly, "Thanks, Cho ... it's great."  
  
Cho grabbed Harry's hand and began to pull him again. "Come on. Let's keep walking to stay warm."  
  
Harry gave her a concerned look as he said, "If you're cold, Cho, we can go back inside."  
  
Shaking her head insistantly, Cho said loudly, "NO!" She paused, then in a quieter tone continued, "I really want to go for a walk with you, Harry. We didn't get to go on one New Year's Eve. I don't want this chance to be spoiled either."  
  
Though he wasn't sure why, Harry hesitated just a bit. Seeing this, Cho stopped pulling on his hand and moved closer to him. "You do want to be with me tonight, don't you, Harry?" she asked sweetly as she gazed up at him through dark lashes. For a second, Harry seemed to forget how to speak. Mutely, he nodded as he peered down at her. Cho gave him a winsome smile as she murmurred, "Good!"  
  
It was at that moment that Harry realized just how close they were standing. He also realized that all he would have to do is bend down slightly and lean forward ... and he'd be kissing Cho Chang. 'I'm going to do this,' rang through his head as he slowly began to lean down.  
  
Cho's eyes suddenly widened as she watched Harry bend closer. Then, Harry's gaze traveled down to her lips, which were just slightly parted.   
  
'I can do this!' became Harry's inner matra as the space between them narrowed. He was near enough to feel the warmth of her breath on his own lips when it happened.  
  
A loud, ear-piercing scream filled the air!  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Please excuse any typos and errors. I typed this up really fast so that I could get it posted for Valentine's day. If I get enough feedback on it, I might hurry up and post the next chapter, too. Have a Happy Valentine's day, Everyone! :) 


	21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, etc. does not belong to me, but to JK Rowling. I'm just practicing my writing skills by making up a story using her characters and such. I make no profit from any of this, so please don't sue me.   
  
A/N: First of all, I apologize for taking so long in getting this chapter to you. Secondly, as stated before, this story is no longer in line with canon. It is an alternate version of Harry's fifth year. Let me just make clear that I'm telling a story and not trying to duplicate JK Rowling -- So, don't expect everything to be the same -- _especially_ Harry! And I am very much into foreshadowing and leaving things up in the air or unclear until later in the story -- so there may seem to be plot holes. This entire story is already written in a notebook, so I will not be making any major changes to the storyline. Whether I actually write up the next two stories which explain much of what goes on in this one is up to how much response and excitement I get from you, the readers. That said, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. I'll try not to take so long to get more out, but it depends mostly on whether RL gives me time to type.  
  
CHAPTER 20:  
  
Immediately, Harry straightened up. He recognized that scream.   
  
"Hermione!" he gasped, then took off in the direction the scream had sounded from. Harry hardly noticed Cho behind him, yelling for him to stop. All he could think about was that one of his friends was in trouble.  
  
Rounding a clump of high shrubs, Harry was suddenly hit with a blast of icy cold. He staggered back, surprised. Voices began to fill the air around him. Familiar voices. First, his mother's ... then his father's ... and, surprisingly, there came the sound of Cedric's voice. Finally, there was that high-pitched chilly laugh that he so much detested.  
  
Dementors!  
  
It was the only think that Harry could think of that would be causing all this to happen. He began to concetrate on his happiest moments as he pulled his wand out.   
  
In a booming voice, Harry yelled, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" The cold sensation decreased, as did the voices. Slowly, Harry reopened his eyes.  
  
The sight that met him was frightening. Harry noticed immediately, Ron and Hermione off to one side of the gardens. Hermione appeared to have passed out and Ron was desperately trying to hold her while performing the Patronus Charm. Across from them stood Neville and Natalie, back to back. They, too, were sending out whisps of silvery-grey smoke from their wands. And all around them were, roughly, a dozen or so dementors.  
  
"Oh Merlin!" Cho cried out as she came up behind Harry. He put an arm out to keep her back.  
  
"Go up to the castle and get help! Find Dumbledore and Lupin!"  
  
Noticing that his patronus had faded, Harry began to gather up the will to recast it. He yelled out the incantation once again, bringing forth from his wand the silvery-grey mist. Slowly, the mist came together to form a brilliant image of a stag. Concentrating with all his might, Harry sent his patronus over to help protect Ron and Hermione.  
  
Suddenly, Cho let out a scream from behind him. Harry had thought that she'd left ... and if she hadn't, then that meant they had no help coming. Neville and Natalie were weakening quickly. And with Harry's patronus protecting Ron and Hermione, he had no way to protect himself or to help Cho.  
  
Just as he felt his strength start to sway, several things happened. A flame of silvery-grey fire appeared in front of Ron and Hermione, causing the dementors to start to back off from them. At the same time, a misty form of a dragon appeared next to Neville and Natalie. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry also noticed that Cho was no longer alone. Li was standing by her, muttering as he waved his wand. No silvery smoke came from the tip, but Harry noted that the dementors were unable to get to the boy or his sister.  
  
Harry was just starting to sigh with relief when he realized that all of the dementors had suddenly turned towards him. In a rush, he tried to perform the Patronus Charm, but the cold and the voices were making it difficult to concentrate. Weakening, Harry could only watch as the dark shapes drifted closer.  
  
"EXPECTO PATRONUS!"  
  
The words rang out into the night like a battle cry. Harry stared with amazement as a bright silvery object darted from one dementor to the next. Each one it got near, immediately stepped back. Then, it slammed into one. A horrid screeching echoed around the gardens. Then another screeched as it was hit. Soon, the brilliant object was flying around them so fast that it was a blur.  
  
One of the dementors threw down something and a shimmer of blue light appeared. The next second, all of the dementors were gone.  
  
Harry looked around him. Ron was still craddling Hermione. Neville and Natalie were holding each other up. And, Cho was being comforted by her brother. Turning completely around, Harry sought out the spell caster.  
  
"Ginny!?" Harry murmurred, seeing the girl just a few feet behind him. She was extremely pale and breathing heavily. Harry started to move towards her when she suddenly whithered to the ground. Before he could get to her, Cho collapsed as well. For a moment, Harry stood there in between the two fallen girls ... unsure who to go to.  
  
Professor Lupin, Seamus, and Dean came charging around the corner just then. As the professor dropped to his knees to check on Ginny, Harry slowly began to move towards Cho.  
  
Li looked up as the older boy approached. In a low tone, Li said, "She's only fainted."  
  
Harry knelt down, nodding. Looking over at Ginny, he saw that Professor Lupin had conjured up a stretcher to take the girl to the hospital wing. Shakily, Harry did the same for Cho.  
  
As Harry was getting back up to his feet, Ron went rushing past him ... Hermione in his arms.  
  
"You could just conjure up a stretcher, Ron," Seamus yelled after the Weasley boy. However, it was clear that Ron wasn't listening.  
  
Carefully, Harry followed Professor Lupin, Ginny, Seamus, and Dean up to the infirmary. The stretcher holding Cho's limp form glided along behind him ... with Li, Neville, and Natalie just behind. As they approached the front entrance, Harry noticed the white-blonde hair of Draco Malfoy going into the castle. With the Slytherin boy was the tiny blonde girl that Harry had seen at the dance.  
  
Madame Pomfrey was in a tizzy when they all entered the hospital wing. She immediately had Hermione, Ginny, and Cho placed on beds. Then, after a quick check on the girls, she turned her attention to the others. Professor Lupin was alreadly passing out large chunks of chocolate. Neville and Natalie were sitting together nibbling on theirs. Ron was holding a block, but was too concerned about Hermione and Ginny to eat it. And Li had completely refused any.  
  
Professor Lupin walked up to Harry and handed him some chocolate. In a low tone, he asked, "What happened down there, Harry?" Where did the dementors come from ... or go to?"  
  
Harry had no idea what to tell him. "I wasn't there when they appeared. But, they disappeared into a blue light of some kind."  
  
"That's how they appeared, too," Neville stated. Natalie nodded with agreement.   
  
"A blue light, hmm?" Professor Lupin mused. He looked at Harry as he asked, "Did any of the dementors make an odd movement or something before the light appeared?"  
  
For a moment, Harry didn't say anything as he tried to recall what had happened. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Yeah ... one of them looked like it threw something on the ground. Then, the light appeared."  
  
"Sounds like a Vortex Stone," a wisened voice said from the doorway.  
  
They all turned to see Professor Dumbledore entering with Fred and George. The twins, upon seeing their little sister lying on one of the beds, rushed over to her side. Professor Dumbledore walked over to Professor Lupin and asked, "So, it was, indeed, dementors?" The younger professor just nodded. "What happened?" the older man asked. "And let us start at the beginning. Who first saw the dementors?"  
  
Harry glanced from Ron over to Neville and Natalie. In a quiet voice, Natalie answered, "We did, sir ... um ... Neville and I, that is ... and Ron and Hermione. We'd all gone out for a stroll after dinner." Harry noticed that both Neville and Natalie appeared to be blushing. Under different circumstances, he might have found this to be amusing. But, at present, nothing could amuse him.  
  
Ron suddenly spoke up. "Neville and Natalie were up ahead of Hermione and I. We'd ..." He paused, frowning. "We'd been fighting. I don't even remember what about."  
  
Madame Pomfrey came out of her office with a vial of steaming greyish liquid in one hand and a cup of something in the other. Watching as the woman attempted to awaken Hermione with the steamy potion, Ron continued. "All of a sudden, there was this bright blue light between us and them ... and then, we found ourselves facing a dozen dementors."  
  
Hermione began to cough as she stirred just a bit. Ron's attention immediately returned back to her. Madame Pomfrey urged Hermione to drink from the cup she was holding. It took a few seconds, but Hermione finally obliged. She made a face of disgust, then drifted off into a peaceful slumber. Taking both the cup and the vial, Madame Pomfrey went back to her office. Ron stood protectively over the sleeping girl, no longer appearing to be interested in anything but watching Hermione rest.  
  
Harry jumped slightly when Professor Dumbledore asked him, "And where were you at this point?"  
  
Looking over at the bed where Cho was laying, Harry answered, "Cho and I were a bit further back on the path. We heard Hermione scream and ran to help." Harry went on to explain in more detail about the fight against the dementors.  
  
When Harry had finished telling them about Ginny's patronus and the dementors' disappearing, Professor Dumbledore mused, "And just how did Miss Weasley know about the dementors?" His gaze moved from the twins to Seamus and Dean as he asked, "You boys were with her, correct? Where were you and what happened?"  
  
Seamus and Dean exchanged a look before Dean answered, "We were up in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny had just entered ... and Fred and George started singing that Pickled toad song. At first, we all thought that she was mad or something. She just stopped in the middle of the room and started shaking. Then, she got all pale and wide-eyed. She muttered something like, 'Oh no ... Harry!', then yelled for us to find you and Professor Lupin and go to the gardens."  
  
Harry could feel his face burning when Dean mentioned that Ginny had said his name.   
  
"But how did she KNOW about the dementors?" Professor Lupin asked. "The Gryffindor common room is too far away to sense them."  
  
Before he realized it, Harry said, "Not for Ginny."  
  
Everyone looked at him, including Ron and the twins.  
  
"She told me that she can sense dementors from far off. She hears a kind of humming sound that gets louder as she gets closer to them. I ... I told her that I'd teach her how to do the Patronus Charm ... but I never got around to it."  
  
Harry felt horribly guilty, yet at the same time, curious as to how Ginny had learned it.  
  
Natalie must have realized what he was thinking, because she suddenly said, "Ginny learned the Patronus Charm from Professor Hall. She was teaching Neville and I how to cast the charm."  
  
Professor Dumbledore nodded with understanding. Once more, Madame Pomfrey came out of her office with more of the greyish potion and another cup. She took the same vial of steaming liquid that she'd used on Hermione and waved it under Ginny's nose.  
  
But, Ginny didn't stir.  
  
Professor Dumbledore had turned his attention to Li at this point. "And how, Mr. Chang, did you come to be out in the garden?"  
  
Looking up from his sister, Li said quietly, "I was coming out of the Great Hall when I ran into Ginny. She was saying something about dementors being out in the garden with Harry and my sister. We both rushed outside ... I must have got ahead of her, though." He glanced back down at his sister as he added, "I got there just in time. A moment later and those creatures would have been on her. I used the ancient shielding charm to protect us, just as my grandfather taught me."  
  
Harry was feeling even worse now. He hadn't been able to help Cho at all during the fight. He'd barely been able to protect Ron and Hermione. If it weren't for the others ...  
  
"Wait!" Harry suddenly said. He looked over at Li as he asked, "If you were doing the shield charm, then ... who was making the flame patronus ... or the dragon one?"  
  
Li shrugged. Harry glanced around at the others who shrugged as well.  
  
"Apparently," Professor Dumbledore said with a slight twinkle in his eyes, "You had some additional assistance from someone who wishes to remain anonymous."  
  
Madame Pomfrey sighed heavily as she left Ginny's side. The steaming potion had not revived the young girl. With a look of concern, the nurse moved over to Cho. One wave of the solution under the Ravenclaw girl's nose and she awoke.  
  
Coughing as she tried to sit up, Cho asked, "What happened? How'd I get here?"  
  
Harry walked over to her and sat down on the edge of the bed. "You passed out, Cho. Remember? The dementors in the garden?"  
  
Cho's pale face showed that she obviously remembered. She glanced over at the beds where Hermione and Ginny were. With a look of horror, she asked, "They ... they didn't get ... kissed, did they? By the dementors?"  
  
Madame Pomfrey tsked lightly as she stated, "Of course not, dear. They're just both sleeping. Which, I believe, is exactly what you should be doing." The nurse looked up at the professors as she added, "I see no reason any of them except Miss Granger and Miss Weasley should stay here. They should all go back to their dorms and get some rest, though."  
  
Cho looked up at Harry and asked, "Will you walk me to Ravenclaw?"  
  
Before Harry could answer, Professor Lupin stepped forward and smiled gently at the girl. "I don't think that's a good idea, Miss Chang. Harry needs to get some rest, too. I'll be happy to see you safely to your house, though."  
  
Cho didn't look pleased, but she remained silent about it. With a quiet bid of good-night, she left with the Defense professor and her brother.  
  
Seamus, Dean, the twins, Neville, and Natalie soon left as well. Professor Dumbledore went into Madame Pomfrey's office to speak to her about sleeping potions for Harry and Ron. As soon as they were alone, Ron looked seriously at Harry and said, "Thank you!"  
  
All Harry could say was, "For what?"  
  
Ron looked at him with a hint of amazement. "What do you mean, for what? For saving Hermione and I. If you hadn't showed up when you did ... " He couldn't finish the sentence ... only shook his head.  
  
Harry shrugged. "It wasn't just me. If Ginny hadn't shown up ..." He paused, glancing down at the younger girl. "Ron ... her patronus attacked those dementors. They were all heading straight for me ... She saved my life."  
  
Ron gave Harry a concerned look. Sighing, Harry figured that Ron wouldn't understand how he was feeling. He wasn't even sure that he, himself, understood.  
  
"Come on, Harry," Ron said after a while. "Madame Pomfrey must have that potion ready for us. We should get some sleep so we can get back up here first thing."  
  
Harry nodded. He watched as Ron bent over his little sister and gently kissed her forehead. Then, to Harry's suprise, Ron did the same to Hermione. As Ron began to head over to the office, Harry started to follow.  
  
But then, he stopped. Looking back at the two girls, Harry felt as if he couldn't leave just yet. He noticed that Ron had disappeared into the office. So, quietly, he walked back in between the two girls' beds. Coming up to Hermione first, Harry realized that there was something lying on the pillow next to her head. He smiled, seeing that it was a single red flower. Ron must have sat it there when he'd kissed her good-night.  
  
Harry didn't feel comfortable to give even a brotherly kiss to either girl. And he was sure that if he tried and Ron saw, he'd be as good as dead. Instead, Harry reached down to pat Hermione's hand in an awkwardly comforting way. Then, turning to Ginny, he did the same ... although, he did find it harder to pull his hand away from hers once they'd touched.  
  
Voices from the office told Harry that Ron, Professor Dumbledore, and Madame Pomfrey would be back out soon. Harry started to move back to the office door ... but, once more, paused. He'd put his hands into his pockets and his fingers had brushed up against something soft and fuzzy. Pulling the object out, Harry found himself looking at the teddy bear with the golden snitch.  
  
For a moment, Harry stared at it. Then, without any more hesitation, he turned back to walk over to Ginny's side. Shakily, Harry laid the stuffed bear on the pillow next to the sleeping girl. Letting out a quivering breath, he turned and quickly walked away. By the time he reached the office door, Ron was coming out with Professor Dumbledoor and Madame Pomfrey.  
  
The nurse was trying to give Ron last minute instructions for using the sleeping potion. However, Ron was ignoring her. Finally, the boy turned to the older woman and said, "Yes, yes ... We drink the potion and fall asleep. Not too difficult. I do believe we can handle it, Madame."  
  
Madame Pomfrey just shook her head, turned around, and walked back into her office as she muttered to herself.  
  
Professor Dumbledore looked at the two boys with eyes full of humor ... yet, still oddly haunted. "Well, I believe it is time to say good-night. You both have done very well this evening. I'm sure that both young ladies will be up and around in no time at all." Nodding a good-night, the headmaster slipped out the door.  
  
Harry glanced back at the girls one last time, then asked Ron, "You ready to go?"  
  
Ron silently nodded. In much more mellow moods, the two left the hospital wing and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
The next morning, when the boys came to the infirmary, they were pleased to see that both girls were awake and fine. Madame Pomfrey wanted to keeps them a bit longer, but Hermione refused to miss any classes. The nurse did insist that the girls eat their breakfast there in the hospital wing. To keep them company, Harry and Ron stayed to eat there as well.  
  
It wasn't until they'd gone back up to Gryffindor Tower so the girls could change that Harry realized that he'd not even thought about meeting Cho for breakfast. In fact, he hadn't thought about her since she'd walked out of the hospital wing the night before. He pondered over this as he waited for Hermione and Ginny to come down from the dorms. It was still heavily on his mind as they all made their way to their first classes.  
  
TBC 


	22. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Just writing for fun and practice on writing skills.

Author Note: Sorry about disappearing. I've been extremely busy with real life. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed or sent me emails asking me to continue the story. Though I can't promise to be overly quick about it, I will try my best to get new chapters up till the story is done. This is the last notebook of the story, so it is nearing the end. Thanks again & I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 21

The month of February gradually came to an end. By the first of March, Harry hardly saw Cho much. They would get together to study and occasionally to eat. But Cho always seemed a bit withdrawn. She would tell Harry, when he'd ask, that she was preoccupied with the upcoming quidditch game between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Harry could understand how she might feel that way, but he also didn't think that was the only reason for her distance.

The quidditch game was held mid-March, on a cold and crisp day. Harry had tried to wish Cho good-luck before the game, but she never showed up for breakfast. Later, at the pitch, he tried to wave to her, but she just ignored him. He finally gave up trying to catch her attention and went to join Ron, Hermione, and the other Gryffindors in the stands.

In truth, the game did not really last very long. The scoring had been even on both sides. But, with the catching of the snitch a half an hour into play, Malfoy brought a victory to the Slytherins.

As after the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw game, Harry didn't know whether Cho would want to see him or not. In the end, he decided to send her an owl letting her know that he was there for her if she needed him. But he never received a reply back.

Towards the end of March, during breakfast one morning, Harry received a letter from his godfather, Sirius. Harry was so excited to hear from him that he nearly choked on the toast he'd been eating. Ginny, who'd been sitting next to him, gave him a solid whack on the back to help clear his pipes.

"Thanks," Harry finally managed to say. She smiled at him, then went back to eating. Harry noticed a small white bird fly up to the teacher's table and land on Prof. Remus's shoulder. The teacher looked at the notes tied to the bird's leg, then pulled one off. As soon as he'd done so, the bird took flight and headed in Harry's direction.

To the boy's surprise, as well as everyone else's, the bird flew straight to Ginny. At first, the young girl looked confused. But when she'd looked at the note the bird was delivering, she broke out into a bright smile. She must have noticed that Harry was watching her, for Ginny stated, "It's from Tilly."

As Ginny scanned over her note from Tilly, Harry turned his own attention back to the letter from his godfather. It wasn't very long. Silently, he read:

_Hello Harry,_

_Just a quick note to let you know that I'm doing okay. I can't give any more information than that. Please remember to stay within the confinements of Hogwarts. Let us handle things out here -- you just stay safe. If you have Any concerns or problems, go immediately to Dumbledore. We can't help you if you are hiding things from us. Say hello to Ron, Hermione, and Remus._

_Snuffles_

Harry sighed lightly once he'd finished the letter.

"What's he say?" Ron asked, watching his friend closely.

Looking around, Harry checked to see if he could speak freely. Everyone, but Ron and Hermione, seemed to be preoccupied. Noting that Ginny was busy still reading her note, Harry hesitated to speak.

Ron wouldn't have any of that, however. "Well?" the red hair boy said impatiently. "What's he say?"

"Not much really," Harry finally answered. "He wanted to let me know that he's okay ... and to remind me not to wander from Hogwart's protection. He said hi, too."

Ginny suddenly giggled, causing everyone to look her way. She blushed lightly when she noticed this, but kept reading her letter.

"What's so funny, Ginny?" Ron demanded.

Not even glancing up, his sister said, "Nothing that's any of your business."

This, of course, was not the best thing to say to the boy. Ron reached across the table and snatched the letter from his sister's hands.

"Hey!" Ginny yelled, standing up. For a moment, it looked as if she was about to climb over the table of food to get the note back. At least, Harry thought that she might. She didn't have to, though. Hermione, tsking at Ron loudly, grabbed the letter from him and handed it back to Ginny. Still glaring at her brother, Ginny muttered, "Thanks, Hermione." Then, silently, she sat back down.

Ron was frowning deeply at Ginny. "Who's this _Stephan_ she asked you about?" he asked, staring hard at the girl.

Harry blinked with surprise, then looked over at Ginny. She was blushing even more than before and looking quite uncomfortable.

"Well?" Ron stated a bit loudly.

When Harry glanced over at his best friends, he found Ron glaring at Ginny, while Hermione watched wordlessly with a shocked expression. He turned back to the girl sitting next to him just as she began to speak in a low, oddly quiet tone.

"Like I said before, Ron ... it's not any of your business." Before her brother could comment, Ginny went on to say in a calmer voice, "Tilly says hi." She'd turned to look at Harry as she said this. As Harry had been staring at her, their eyes locked together. Ginny paused, as if she'd forgotten what she was saying. Then, softly, she added, "She said that she hopes all is well with you."

Harry found that he could only nod in reply.

From across the table, Ron gave a dramatically heavy sigh and began to get up from the table. He was stopped, however, by the arrival of a large, graceful owl. The bird flew up to him and dropped an envelope on the table in front of the boy before it soared off again. Looking quite bewildered, Ron stared at the note.

Fred and George, who'd seen the letter arrive, came over to see what their little brother had received. "It's not red, Ron," said George loudly. "So, it must not be from Mum."

Hermione, leaning over to look closely at the envelope, frowned as she told them, "That's from the Ministry of Magic. See the emblem there? It looks like it could be something official."

The same thought must have popped into all their heads at once. Could it be a notice of a death in the Weasley family? Harry noticed that Ron and the twins were extremely pale all of a sudden. And next to him, Ginny was starting to wring her hands. The note from Tilly laid on the table, forgotten for now. Even Hermione was biting her lip nervously as Ron slowly reached out to pick up the letter.

The parchment in the boy's hand shook slightly as Ron read it over. Everyone was watching him closely. The look upon his face went from frightenly nervous to slight relief, then ended with completely shocked.

"What's it say?" Fred asked, no hint of amusement in his voice.

Ron looked up at them all and smiled. "Dad's the new Minister of Magic!"

Silence fell on them, then they all chorused, "WHAT!"

Laughing, Ron read out, "To the Weasley Children at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: We are happy to inform you that your father was recently promoted to the vacant position of Minister of Magic." Ron stopped reading at that point as Fred had just grabbed the letter out of his hands. "Bloody Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed, smiling widely. A small crowd was starting to gather around them.

As Ron sat back in his seat, Hermione impulsively leaned over to hug him as she said, "Oh Ron! That's just wonderful! You all must be so proud of your father." Ron nodded, as did both of the twins. Hermione let out a somewhat relieved breath as she added, "I must admit, I was fearing the worst. I'm so glad that wasn't the case. It would have been horrible if something had happened to Charlie or Bill ..."

"So THAT's what scared you, eh?" Ron snarled suddenly. Hermione jumped a bit in her seat as she looked at him. "Just worried about Charlie ... don't want anything to happen to Charlie ..."

Hermione immediately interrupted to yell back, "Of course I don't want anything to happen to Charlie ... or to any of your family."

"But Charlie in particular," Ron accused, yelling just as loud. "Right?"

Shaking his head at his two friends, Harry looked away. His gaze fell upon Ginny, who was sitting quietly next to him with a bothered expression on her face. "What's wrong, Ginny?"

She glanced up at him, then slowly said, "I'm just wondering ... what happened to Fudge?"

"The stupid git probably quit," George quipped.

Fred nodded as he added, "Yeah. No doubt he realized that he was in over his head."

Harry wasn't so sure that he could believe that. He was just about ready to say something when a seventh year boy from Hufflepuff said, "Fudge didn't quit. He disappeared. They're saying that he's either dead or he joined ... _them_." This Harry realized was definitely more plausible than Fudge just quitting. However, the thought of either other possibilities did make Harry feel a bit sick.

Word about Mr. Weasley's promotion spread quickly through the school. Fred and George made the best of the situation by using it as an excuse to hand out 'sweets' to anyone ignorant enough to accept them. The halls seemed to be filled with students turning into birds or suddenly speaking backwards. Hermione continually tsked at the two, trying to point out that such behavior was no way for the Minister of Magic's children to act. The twins, of course, ignored her.

Ron was also quite thrilled with his change of status. He was generally seen beaming from ear to ear. And, to Hermione's dismay, tended to be followed around by several adorers. Ron did make an attempt to appear as if he didn't like the attention ... but only for Hermione's sake. Harry was quite certain that Ron liked every second of this new attention he was getting.

The youngest Weasley was also receiving a lot of attention. Ginny seemed to have a number of boys taking notice of her ... or, at least, Harry noted that she had new admirers. For the most part, Ginny herself didn't seem to take notice of anything new. Instead, she appeared to be overly preoccupied. When Harry asked her if something was wrong, she just told him that it was nothing serious.

This didn't reassure Harry at all. It was the end of March, close to the Easter holidays, when he finally found out what was bothering the younger girl. He'd been wondering if it had to do with whoever Stephan was. But Harry didn't even know of any Stephans at Hogwarts. And, as far as he'd seen, Ginny never seemed to be around any unknown guys.

However, Harry found out that there was one boy that was giving Ginny a lot of attention, but only when she wasn't with her brothers or him. Draco Malfoy. Collin Creevy had told his brother, who told Natalie McDonald, who told Neville, who then told Harry, that Malfoy had been seen cornering Ginny a few times a day. This seemed odd to Harry because, since Mr. Weasley's promotion, Malfoy hadn't bothered him, Ron, nor Hermione at all.

One night after dinner, Harry decided to approach Ginny about what was going on with Malfoy. He'd told Hermione everything, but hadn't mentioned anything to Ron ... as he knew that his best friend would do something rash. It was decided that while Harry talked to Ginny that Hermione would speak to Ron.

So, Harry found himself heading into the library to find the young girl. He knew she was there because he'd heard her mention it to a friend at dinner. Walking through the stacks, he tried to locate where Ginny was sitting. Suddenly, he heard a voice that made him stop in his tracks.

"So? Have you given it any more thought?" said a voice that had to belong to Draco Malfoy. The Slytherin boy went on speaking haughtily, "You've moved up the ladder ... not an easy thing to do. All you need to do now is support your own. Just like me, you're a pureblood. We need to stick together or we'll die out completely. I know that you've got your mudblood friends and all, but ..."

Another voice broke in. "Shut it, Malfoy."

Harry knew at once that it was Ginny. He'd been almost certain that she was the one that Malfoy had been speaking to. Harry started to move forward, but stopped when she began to speak again.

"It doesn't matter whether a person is pureblood or muggleborn. It's their ability to do magic that makes them a wizard or witch. And it's the choices they make that determine whether they are good or evil."

The sound of Malfoy's laughter echoed quietly through the library. Just a bit slower to respond in the same were Crabbe and Goyle. Harry could almost picture the three Slytherin boys surrounding Ginny ... and the thought furiated him.

Malfoy began to speak again. "You are definitely a feisty girl, Weasle-ette. I rather like that."

Another stab of irritation coursed through Harry at Draco's tone. Harry decided that it was time to put Malfoy back into his place. Coming around the stack of books, he found Malfoy leaning over the back of the chair that Ginny was sitting in. Crabbe and Goyle were standing menacingly nearby. Malfoy was just saying, "You just keep thinking about it. You're a smart girl. You'll come around eventually." The boy looked up, spotting Harry. With a sly grin, he said, "Oh look! Here's Potty to come save you."

"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry growled at him.

Malfoy just laughed, then motioned for his two thugs to head out.

Once they were gone, Harry turned to Ginny and said, "Are you okay?"

Ginny gave him a rather annoyed look as she answered, "Of course I'm okay. I can handle that stupid git. He's just a bunch of talk." She paused, then asked, "Were you looking for me?"

Harry nodded as he sat down across from her. "I wanted to talk to you," he said, then jerked his head in the direction Malfoy had just gone, "... about him." Ginny let out a bit of a heavy sigh. Quickly, Harry went on, "We're ... we're just worried about you, Ginny. You know that if Malfoy's annoying you, then you can tell us. We can take care of him ..."

"That's exactly Why I won't way anything to you all. I don't want him to be 'taken care of'. I don't want you to get into any kind of trouble for my sake. Malfoy's just a git ... it's best just to ignore him."

Just then, Ron cam barreling around the corner with Hermione on his heels. "Why didn't you tell me that Malfoy's been bugging you?"

Once more, Ginny sighed. "Like I just got done telling Harry, I don't want you to do something stupid just to protect me from an annoying git."

"What has Malfoy been saying to you, Ginny?" Hermione asked in a soft voice.

Ginny looked down at the table, seeming to debate internally whether she should answer or not. In a low voice, she finally said, "It's nothing, really. He just keeps telling me that I'm salvageable."

"What exactly did he want you to think about?" Harry asked. He could feel Ron and Hermione looking at him, but he focused on Ginny.

She had looked up at him with wide eyes before saying, "Wh-what do you mean?"

Harry didn't falter, but replied smoothly with, "I heard him talking to you ... before I came around the corner. He wanted to know if you'd thought about something. And he mentioned something about sticking with your own. What was he on about?"

Ginny's face turned a deep red as she stared up at the boy. For a moment, he couldn't tell if he'd embarrassed her, upset her, or made her extremely angry. Shakily, she finally said, "You heard all that?" Harry nodded, only faintly aware that Ron and Hermione were still staring at them. Ginny went on, "So then, you must have heard my reply." Again, Harry nodded.

He thought over what she had said to Malfoy, then stated, "He wants you to join them ... the other side."

Both Ron and Hermione shifted their gaze to Ginny as she shrugged slightly. "Not exactly," she muttered. "He just doesn't want me to side with those who support muggles and muggleborns."

"What? You mean like Dad?" Ron exclaimed, frowning at his sister. "You can't side against Dad, Ginny!"

Ginny gave her brother a perturbed look as she snapped, "Of course I'm not going to side against Dad! Even if Dad wasn't for muggles so much, I still wouldn't side with Malfoy! And definitely not with Riddle!"

Before he realized it, Harry stated a very firm, "Good!" Ron, Hermione, and Ginny turned to him questioningly. He felt himself begin to blush, but he refused to look away from Ginny. He wasn't sure why, but it made him feel so much better knowing that Ginny was holding strong against their foes ... and was fighting on his side.

A sound of the library door slamming shut jerked Harry's attention away. Stepping back into the aisle, he looked up to the front of the library to see Cho Chang walking quickly in his direction. She had her hands jammed into her robe pockets as she looked around wildly.

As soon as she caught sight of Harry, Cho seemed to relax. He could see her mouth moving to form silent words ... perhaps practicing what she was going to say when she told him off. For a moment, Harry felt a bit mesmerized watching her. She had her hair down and it was swinging back and forth just behind her with each step she took towards him. It was only when the forms of Neville and Natalie crossed in front of Cho as they came out from some stack of books that Harry finally blinked. Cho had stumbled backwards, then refocused her attention on reaching Harry.

As she approached, Harry was only dimly aware of the sounds of far away voices. He didn't want to look away from Cho to find out who was speaking. Something about the expression on her face ... something felt wrong, though he couldn't figure out what.

"I've been looking for you everywhere, Harry," Cho stated once she'd reached him.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Harry's questions seemed to startle the girl. She paused slightly before finally saying, "Um, no ... not really. Could we go somewhere and talk? Somewhere more private?"

Giving a nod, Harry let Cho take his hand and lead him out of the library. They stopped at each other's common rooms to pick up their cloaks, then headed outside. The evening air was chilly. Snow still covered the grounds. Harry and Cho walked along the path leading down to the lake.

For awhile, neither spoke. Then, quietly, Cho said, "I know that it seems like I've been avoiding you, Harry. I've just been rather busy ... and tired ... and, well ... I just needed some time to myself. I hope that you're not upset with me."

Harry shook his head, instantly being rewarded with a bright smile from the girl. They wandered around for about an hour more as Cho told him all about the past weeks and her humiliation over having lost all three quidditch matches for her house. Harry could understand how difficult that could be. He, himself, had lost one game and it had been a horrible experience.

By the time they got back into the castle, it was almost curfew. Harry walked Cho to her common room and managed to give her a rather awkward kiss on the cheek goodnight. Then, feeling lost in thought, he made his way back to Gryffindor Tower.

TBC


	23. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Just having fun writing.

A/N: Here's a new chapter. Thanks to those who replied to the last one. Just a reminder that this story takes place after book four and books five & six are not part of the storyline. You've all given some great comments and questions ... which will be eventually addressed via the story. Hope you enjoy & feel free to review if you'd like.

Chapter 22

When he entered the common room, Harry was surprised to find it just about empty. He didn't see Ron nor Hermione anywhere. Not wanting to go up to his dorm yet, Harry wandered over to one of the large windows. It was somewhat hidden, providing a nice spot to sit and think. In truth, it wasn't the first time that Harry had gone there. Several times over the past years, he'd found himself there by the window just to get a moment to himself.

As Harry scooted himself up onto the ledge of the window, he noticed a slight movement in a darken alcove by the stairwell leading up to the dorms. Hidden in the shadows was Li Chang. He appeared to be reading a book or something. Harry shifted into a comfortable position in his own hide-a-way. He'd no sooner got settled than he heard the portrait swing open and the sound of two familiar voices.

"Is he in here?" Harry heard Ron ask.

Hermione waited a moment before saying, "It doesn't look like it. Maybe he's up in bed already." Ron snorted loudly at that. "Well, where else could he be?" the girl asked huffily.

Harry could barely hear Ron reply, "Probably in some bushes with Cho."

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed as Harry felt his face begin to burn.

"Oh come on, Hermione. You saw him tonight. One minute he's all concerned about Ginny and that Malfoy's bugging her, then he's just walking off with Cho ... didn't even bother to say good-bye or see you later." The boy paused, then grumbled, "That's really getting annoying."

It dawned on Harry, suddenly, that Ron was right. He could remember talking to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny in the library ... then he could only remember being with Cho. He had no recollection of having said good-bye to his friends. In fact, as far as he could remember, he never said good-bye to his friends when Cho came around. Harry wondered if this was due to him liking her so much. He really wasn't sure though.

The sound of the portrait swinging open again broke Harry's thoughts. He heard Hermione greet Neville and Natalie. For just a brief moment, he considered coming out from the window area. But then, he heard Ron say, "Oy! Did you two see Harry anywhere on your way back from the library?"

Neville's voice quietly answered, "No. Only when he and Cho left the library. Boy, was that strange."

There was a few seconds of silence before Hermione said, "Strange? In what way was it strange?"

"Oh," Neville said quickly, "Not the fact that Harry and Cho left together. Just ... well ... the way Cho was going on when she came into the library."

Harry couldn't understand what Neville was referring to. Apparently, neither could Ron nor Hermione. Ron asked in a rather irritated tone, "What was she doing that was so strange?"

It was Natalie that answered. "She was muttering something."

Hermione interrupted, asking, "Do you mean like she was talking to herself?" Natalie must have either shaken or nodded her head as reply, though Harry was unable to see which. The next thing that Harry heard was Hermione saying, "I wonder ..."

Ron immediately said, "Wonder what, Hermione?"

The only answer Harry got was silence. He wasn't sure if they'd all left until Hermione suddenly said, "We should get some rest, Ron. I'll check on Ginny before I turn in, okay?"

As the four students said their goodnights to each other, Harry turned back to the window. Something seemed oddly wrong in his mind. But, he couldn't put his finger on it. He knew that his friends were upset with him and his relationship with Cho. Although, in truth, Harry wasn't even sure what kind of relationship he and Cho had.

Staring out the window, Harry had a sudden wondering about his father. What would he have said to him if he were still alive? What sort of advice would his father have given him to help Harry through all these new feelings? It dawned on Harry that he had no idea what youthful challenges his dad had faced. He didn't even know when or how his parents had got together. For all he knew, James Potter might have very well sat in this exact same window seat many years before, wandering about the very same things that Harry was now. This though, though a bit odd, made Harry feel strangely close to his father just then.

The common room had gone very quiet. Believing himself to be alone, Harry began to come out from his hiding spot. A noise made him stop, however. From where he stood in the shadows, Harry saw Li Chang emerge from under the stairwell. The younger boy must not have seen Harry, for he began to mumble to himself.

"This must be stopped," the boy muttered as he glanced up at the stairwell. "I must find a way to break him ... no matter what ..." Li continued to mumble as he made his way up to the boys' dorms. Harry couldn't hear what he was saying, though.

'What was he going on about?' Harry thought to himself. Replaying what he'd just overheard from Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Natalie's conversation, Harry tried to make a connection. Who was Li going to break? And exactly how would he do this? The only person that his friends had been talking about was ... him ... and Cho, Li's sister. Feeling a bit sick, Harry realized that Li must have been talking about him. Li must not have liked that his sister was dating Harry. What else could it be?

Lost in thought, Harry wandered over to a chair next to the fireplace. Setting his cloak across his lap, he leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. His one elbow landed on a lump in his cloak. Harry glanced down to see that it was resting on one of the pockets. He couldn't think of what all he had in the pockets of his cloak. Sticking a hand into the pocket of question, Harry felt something soft.

He withdrew his hand from the pocket, pulling out the long, cream colored scarf that Ginny had made him. He had stuffed it into his pocket on Valentine's day and hadn't taken it out since. With eyes closed, Harry brought the soft material up and buried his face in it. He didn't really know why he would do such a thing; he only knew that it brought him comfort.

A quiet thump sounded from around Harry's feet. Opening his eyes, he glanced down to see a small wrapped box lying there on the floor. It was the gift that Ginny had given to him ... the same night he'd stuffed her scarf into his pocket ... the same night she'd come to his aid. A heart filled groan of regret escaped from Harry as he stared down at the gift. Slowly, he reached down to pick up the small box.

It wasn't large at all. Nor was it heavy. Harry noticed that his fingers trembled slightly as he carefully unwrapped the package. Setting aside the wrapping paper, he slowly pulled the lid off of the box and glanced inside. There, surrounded by white fluffy cotton, was a sparkling gold pocket watch.

For a moment, Harry just looked at it. He could tell from the coloring and a few marks that the watch wasn't brand new. In fact, it looked to be quite old, but well taken care of. His hands still shook as he lifted the piece out of the small box. Examining the front, Harry saw that there were several carvings on it. Near the top was the engraving of a bull. To the right was a dolphin. The left showed an eagle. And at the bottom was, undoubtedly, a phoenix. In the very center was a horse with wings. A Pegasus.

As Harry examined the watch, he found a small latch on the side that would open it up. Shakily, he unlatched it to reveal the inside of the piece. On the one side of it was, of course, the area of the clock. Harry glanced closely, realizing that the clock seemed to hold some kind of whitish liquid in it. Otherwise, it seemed to be blank.

Without noticing that he was speaking out loud, Harry muttered, "How will this show me the time?" To his amazement, numbers began to appear from within the milky white liquid. "One A.M.," Harry gasped, then added in a hushed tone. "Amazing!" The numbers began to fade, only to be replaced by words. Baffled, Harry read, "Way past bed time." This made him chuckle lightly.

Harry shifted the watch in his hand as if to close it, but then stopped. He noticed that there was something on the other side. A picture. Blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes, Harry gazed down on the tiny photo of his father and mother. It appeared to be an ordinary muggle photo. Harry couldn't even begin to imagine where Ginny could have got it from.

How long Harry actually sat there staring at his gift, he didn't know. He might have done so all night if a small popping sound hadn't distracted him. Looking up from the watch, Harry found the house-elf, Dobby, standing in front of him. "Dobby!" he exclaimed softly. "What are you doing here?"

"Harry Potter, sir!" the house-elf squeaked as he stared at the boy. "Dobby is not meaning to intrude, sir. Dobby is only coming to tend to the fireplace. If Harry Potter wants, Dobby will leave ..."

Harry put out a hand to stop the small creature as he said gently, "No, Dobby. You don't have to leave. You just startled me." Giving a warm smile, he then asked, "So, how are you?"

Dobby seemed to beam at being asked to stay and talk. "Dobby is doing good, sir."

Nodding, Harry said, "Good. I'm glad. And how is Winky?"

At this question, Dobby's smile faded. "Oh, Winky is not handling things well, sir. Winky is still thinking she is a bad elf ... because of Winky's late masters. Dobby tells Winky she is free now. But Winky is not agreeing, sir."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry said sympathetically. "I wish there was something that I could do to help her."

Dobby nodded understandingly. Then, his gaze lowered to the object in Harry's hands. "Ohhh, Harry Potter! Such a fine watch!"

Harry glanced down at it and smiled fondly. "Yeah ... it is." He lifted his gaze back up to the house-elf as he told Dobby, "It was a gift."

Suddenly, Dobby got an odd sort of look on his face. It was almost fearful. "A gift, Harry Potter? But it is not Christmas or Harry Potter's birthday. For what reason is Harry Potter getting such a fine gift, sir?"

With a questioning look, Harry told him, "It was for Valentine's day. I'd forgotten to open it."

Again, Dobby's face contorted to an odd expression. He seemed to be fidgeting as he asked, "So, Harry Potter's girl is giving it?"

"What?" Harry asked softly, a bit confused.

Dobby nervously replied, "Harry Potter's girl ... with the long, dark hair. Master Diggory's girl once."

Taking in a sharp breath, Harry just stared at Dobby for a moment. He wasn't sure why, but he was somewhat bothered that Cho was known as his girl and was once Cedric's girl. Glancing back down at the watch, Harry simply stated, "No. It wasn't from Cho." It surprised him to hear Dobby give a heavy sigh of relief. He narrowed his emerald eyes at the house-elf as he asked, "Why?" He watched as Dobby looked away uncomfortably. This just peaked Harry's curiosity. "You seem like you're glad that it wasn't from Cho. Why is that, Dobby?"

Harry watched as Dobby squirmed and avoided eye contact with him. In a way, it reminded the boy of when he'd first met the house-elf. Surely Dobby didn't know something now as he had back then. Or did he?

"Dobby? Answer me, please."

The house-elf let out another long, heavy sigh as his tiny shoulders drooped in defeat. "Dobby is just not knowing what to think of Miss Chang, sir. Dobby is knowing how happy Miss Chang is with Master Diggory last year. But now ... well ... Dobby is thinking Miss Chang is different."

Harry gazed at Dobby as he took in his words. Finally, Harry gave a slight nod as he muttered, "Yeah, Dobby ... I think that you're right."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, timidly, Dobby asked, "If Harry Potter's gift is not from Miss Chang ... then who is giving Harry Potter such a great gift, sir?"

A small smile formed on Harry's face as he said, "Ginny Weasley gave it to me."

Dobby surprised Harry again by breaking into a large grin. "Oh yes! Miss Wheezy. Dobby is liking Miss Wheezy, sir." Harry smiled wider. The little house-elf went on, "Miss Wheezy is always kind and polite to the house-elves. Even the ones ..." Dobby stopped, looking wide-eyed at Harry.

"Even the ones who what, Dobby?" At Harry's curiosity, Dobby shook his head a bit. Frowning, Harry urged, "Come on, Dobby. You can tell me. The ones who what?"

Glancing around nervously, Dobby took a step towards Harry. In a low voice, he said, "Even the ones that still fear Miss Wheezy, sir."

Surprised, Harry exclaimed, "Fear her? Ginny? Why would they be afraid of her?"

Dobby looked down sadly as he answered, "Dobby is thinking the same, sir. But some of the house-elves ... they still see Miss Wheezy as the Chamber's opener."

A wave of anger slid through Harry as he said quietly, "It wasn't her fault. Voldemort controlled her. Made her open it. She fought him the best that she could. They shouldn't be afraid of her ... they should respect her."

Blinking questioningly at Harry, Dobby said, "Dobby is not fearing Miss Wheezy, sir. Dobby is respecting the little miss. But Dobby is sad to see Miss Wheezy so sad."

Harry glanced down at his new watch as he whispered, "Yeah ... me too." He felt guilty for worrying about Ginny. Especially since he was probably one of the biggest reasons she was sad. He began to think, 'I just wish there was something that I could do ...' Then it hit him. Looking back at the house-elf, Harry said, "Dobby? Could you do something for me? Could you tell Winky that I need her help?"

Dobby looked confused ... and a tad offended that Harry wanted the help of another house-elf. Realizing this, Harry quickly said, "I've an idea, Dobby, that might help both Ginny and Winky."

As Dobby's expression relaxed, the house-elf asked, "An idea, Harry Potter? What idea, sir?"

Leaning towards the small creature, Harry said, "Well, I think that we should ask Winky to sort of ... um, watch over Ginny. And we can ask Ginny to do the same for Winky."

"Oh! Dobby is seeing what Harry Potter is saying, sir," said Dobby with a smile. "Harry Potter is giving Winky someone to take care of. Winky is needing that, sir."

Harry nodded, then said, "And it will be good for Ginny, too ... I think. Might get her mind off of, um, other things."

Dobby didn't look as if he'd understood that, but he nodded anyway. "Dobby is liking Harry Potter's idea, sir. Dobby is going to talk to Winky right now. Good-night, Harry Potter, sir!"

As soon as Harry had said goodnight to Dobby, the boy found himself once again alone in the Gryffindor common room. But, he did feel a little better knowing that he might have helped two friends. He glanced down again at the watch and the picture of his parents. In the morning, first thing, he would make sure that he thanked Ginny for the gift. Standing up, Harry headed towards his dorm, carrying the watch in one hand and the cream colored scarf in the other.

TBC


	24. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I just am having fun writing.

A/N: Thanks again to all who have reviewed. Your compliments and advice are very much valued. I apologize for any mistakes in the chapters, as I am trying to type them up quickly and get them posted. If given the chance, once I finish the story I'll make corrections to the chapters. Hope you enjoy the following chapter! Review if you'd like. Thanks!

Chapter 23

Harry awoke the next morning tired and sluggish. He had no real desire to get out of bed, but he knew he had to. Barely opening his eyes, Harry sat up in bed and stumbled out from its curtains. As he slipped on his glasses, he noticed Ron staring at him.

"Blimey, Harry! Were you cold last night or something?" the redhead asked. Harry peered over at him with confusion until Ron motioned towards his neck. "You've got a scarf on."

Feeling the heat rise in his face, Harry groaned softly. As he pulled off the cream colored material, he muttered, "Got cold." Ron didn't look as if he believed him, but kept quiet. As soon as the two were dressed, they headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry looked around for Ginny, but didn't see her anywhere.

"Good morning, Ron ... Harry," Hermione greeted as the boys joined her. "I almost didn't think you were going to make it to breakfast this morning."

Harry figured that their arriving so late to the morning meal had caused his missing the chance to talk to Ginny. He quickly shoved some toast down, then silently followed his friends to class. They had Defense Against the Dark Arts first, followed by Potions, and then Divination. It was not really one of Harry's favorite days, with the exception of his first class.

Professor Lupin smiled in greeting to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they entered the classroom. They took their seats at a table towards the back of the room. As soon as everyone was seated, Professor Lupin said, "Today, we will begin studying a new topic. I know that we've covered various creatures, hexes, curses, and protection spells and charms. What I want to go over today is the use of magic for good versus evil."

Most of the students in the room gave rather confused looks at each other. Harry himself didn't see how this could be much of a lesson. Professor Lupin went on, "For instance, is there ever a time in which it would be proper to use one of the unforgivable curses?"

Seamus Finnegan immediately said, "Yeah! When you're surrounded by a dozen death eaters!"

A few students nodded in agreement, while others wore expressions that clearly showed that they felt different. "Alright," Professor Lupin said, leaning back against his desk. "So, Mr. Finnegan, you are saying that it's okay for you to perform, let's say ... the Imperius Curse on a death eater. But, it's not okay for a death eater to perform the same curse on you?"

"Yeah. That's right," Seamus stated, looking quite sure of himself.

Or, at least he did until Professor Lupin asked, "Why?"

Then Seamus frowned deeply as he tried to figure out how to explain. Finally, he gave up and just shrugged. Parvati Patil spoke up, saying, "Well, the death eaters use those curses to hurt people. It should be okay for a person to use it back at them as a means of defense."

Next to her, Lavender Brown shook her head. "An Unforgivable curse is unforgivable no matter who uses it. I mean, the death eaters use it because they enjoy making people suffer. And those curses work the best for that. But for us, if we only mean to defend ourselves, then there are a lot of other spells and hexes that could be used rather than those three."

Lavender had said all of this rather fast as Parvati was sort of glaring at her. Before Parvati could respond, Neville Longbottom said quietly, "Lavender's right. We could use the Unforgivable, but we choose not to. That is what makes us different from the death eaters. They choose to hurt people, we choose to try at all costs not to hurt anyone ... even our enemies."

Harry knew that Neville was probably thinking of his parents. Perhaps if Neville's father had used one of the three Unforgivable curses then he and his wife wouldn't be at the St. Mungo Hospital still today. Of course, they also could have been killed if they'd used those curses. It dawned on Harry that his parents could have used the curses, too. But they didn't. Why was that? It could have been so easy for his parents together to have used the curses on Voldemort. So, why hadn't they?

"Because, what's easy isn't always what's right," Harry muttered, not realizing that he was speaking aloud.

Professor Lupin and several of the students turned to look at the boy. "Would you mind repeating that, Mr. Potter," Professor Lupin asked.

Harry blinked at him, then managed to stutter, "I ... I was j-just thinking. Professor Dumbledore once told us that what is easy isn't always what is right."

Giving a nod, Professor Lupin turned to the rest of the class. "The death eaters, as well as the one they follow, always look for what is the easiest. This often means going to extremes. If someone is in their way, they either break them, control them, or kill them. We do not. We value life. ALL life. And sometimes, this means that we have to choose what isn't the easiest path, but the right plan of action. And sometimes doing what is right involves a sacrifice. Sometimes even one's own life. That is what makes us different. And it is that for which we now fight for."

As Professor Lupin went on, Harry found himself lost in his own thoughts. He knew what Professor Lupin was talking about. he'd experienced it first hand. His mind drifted back to Cedric Diggory and the third task. They had taken the cup together. It hadn't been easy for either of them to do, but both knew that it was right. And for that, Cedric had died.

Harry knew that Cedric's death wasn't his fault. Still ... he could feel himself starting to become depressed. As he glanced off with a sorrowful expression, a small voice seemed to echo in his memory. Ginny's voice. He remembered her asking why he'd gone after her when she'd been taken down to the Chamber of Secrets. And Harry had told her that he'd done so because it was the right thing to do. Then, she'd asked if he felt guilty about his decision. At the time she'd asked this, He'd been merely appalled at such a thought. Now, however, he found himself thinking about it.

Just why did he feel so guilty about sharing the Tri-Wizard Cup with Cedric? Was it because his schoolmate had died? Harry was fairly certain that if things had been different and the Tri-Wizard Cup hadn't turned out to be a portkey, he wouldn't have felt the way he did right now. Of course, he still might not have been happy. No doubt, Cedric would have shared in the glory and limelight ... which Harry wouldn't have really minded. But they wouldn't have been able to share Cho's attention.

Class ended and Harry went about gathering up his things. He didn't really pay any attention as he followed Ron and Hermione to Potions class. Instead, he was thinking about what it would have been like if Cedric hadn't died. Harry figured that Cho would still be with the other boy and not with him. It was surprising, and a bit alarming, to find that this thought didn't really bother Harry too much.

Sighing lightly, Harry paused as some first years walked in between him and his two friends. Neither Ron nor Hermione appeared to notice as they'd both disappeared into Snape's classroom. As soon as it was clear, Harry quickly headed in through the doorway ... and right smack into Ginny Weasley. The impact sent the girl tumbling backwards to the floor.

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed as he swiftly reached down to haul the girl back up to her feet. "I'm so sorry! I was in a hurry..."

Smirking, Ginny said, "So I noticed. Most people are in a hurry to get 'out' of this class, not in to it."

Harry chuckled quietly. "Yeah, I know. Guess I figure the sooner I get in here, the sooner I can get it over with." Ginny merely nodded to that. As she moved to pass by him to leave, Harry reached out to stop her. "Hold on, Ginny. Can I talk to you for a second?"

Turning back around, Ginny nodded again. She waited for Harry to speak, but he was gazing at her somewhat blankly. "What is it, Harry?" Ginny finally asked, her cheeks beginning to get a tad rosy.

"Oh, um ..." Harry stammered, not at all sure what it was he'd wanted to talk to her about. Her eyes had been shining rather brightly in the dungeon's odd lighting and he'd found himself overly distracted. From across the room, Harry heard Hermione trying, unsuccessfully, to get Ron to put on one of her S.P.E.W. buttons. That made Harry remember the conversation he'd had the night before with Dobby. "I wanted to ask you a favor," he finally blurted out.

One of Ginny's eyebrows raised somewhat in question. Fumbling with his bag, Harry asked, "You know how we have house-elves here, right?" Ginny nodded. "Well, there's this one ... Winky ... and she's having a hard time. And Dobby, my house-elf friend, is worried about her. She's just been really sad because she lost her masters ... and she's not handling freedom very well ..."

"And you'd like for me to befriend her?" Ginny asked softly. Harry, this time, was the one to nod silently. Ginny smiled at him. "Of course, I'll be friends with her. I think I even know which one you're talking about. She was at the Quidditch World Cup last year, right?"

Harry blinked with surprise. "Yeah. She was. You remember her from back then?"

Blushing lightly, Ginny said, "Well, that ... and from seeing her around Hogwarts."

This surprised Harry as well. "It's not really something most see around here ... the house-elves, I mean."

To that, Ginny gave a soft laugh. "Well, most people around here just don't take the time to look. They tend to pop up when all is quiet. And, I'm usually pretty quiet when I'm on my own, so I sometimes catch them working." A thought must have crossed the girl's mind just then, for she frowned as she glanced away from Harry.

Wondering if this had anything to do with the way Dobby had reacted to her name the night before, Harry quietly watched her. He suddenly remembered what he really had been hoping to talk to Ginny about. "Ginny, I also wanted to ..."

"Harry! Oh Good!"

Harry turned, finding Cho standing in the doorway. "Oh ... um, hello," he said, feeling somewhat awkward all of a sudden.

Cho gave him a tight lipped smile as she glanced from Ginny back to him. "I was hoping to talk to you before class begins," she said, now focusing only on Harry.

For a moment, Harry stared at Cho as he waited for her to speak. A light touch on his arm distracted him. Looking down, he found Ginny standing at his side still.

"I need to go, Harry," the younger girl told him. "Talk to me later about ... well, whatever it was you were about to say to me?"

Harry grinned at her as he nodded. Ginny smiled back, then murmured a quick good-bye to both him and Cho. With a slight wave of his hand, Harry watched the girl walk out the door. He was in the midst of making a mental note to thank Ginny for the pocket watch when he heard Cho clearing her throat. Glancing quickly at her, his mind went blank. "What did you want to talk to me about, Cho?" he asked with curiosity.

Cho gave him a rather cool look for a moment, then said, "I wanted to find out what your plans are for the Easter break. Were you going home or staying here?"

Unable to help himself, Harry gave Cho a disgusted look at the mention of him going back to the Dursley's. "I'll be staying here, like I usually do. Were you going to stay, too?"

Looking a bit upset, Cho shook her head. "No," she told him. "My family expects me to come home." For a moment, the two stood there in silence. It looked to Harry as if Cho wanted to say something more. Finally, she said in a somewhat offhanded way, "I imagine that Ron and Hermione will be leaving you, also, to go home for the holidays."

Harry shook his head. "No. They're both staying. Hermione's family is in hiding. And the Weasleys ... well, they're all out in the field, so Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George don't have anywhere to go, either." It seemed to Harry that Cho looked even more upset at this news.

"I hate to interrupt your social life, Mr. Potter," a voice sneered from behind Harry, "... but I'd like to begin my class now." Harry turned to find Professor Snape glaring down at him. The older man went on to say, "That is, if it is alright with you."

Not giving the teacher an answer, Harry turned to Cho and said, "I'll talk to you later."

Cho pursed her lips together as she gave him another rather cool glance. Then, in a tone that made Harry feel positive that she was upset, she stated, "Yes, later. Though I'm not sure just when. I'm rather busy." Not even saying good-bye, Cho turned abruptly and left. Harry sighed heavily as he watched her go.

As he turned to go to his seat, Harry found Professor Snape still standing there watching him. The professor gave him a wicked grin as he said, "Having problems, Mr. Potter? I do believe that Miss Chang is not very happy with you. Of course, how anyone could be is a mystery to me."

It took every ounce of will power to keep Harry from rolling his eyes, but he somehow managed. Taking his seat next to Ron and Hermione, Harry tried to ignore the snickers of the Slytherins' across the room. He glanced at his two friends instead. To his dismay, Harry found Ron frowning at him while Hermione tried to look busy.

If Harry hoped that his day would get better, he was very wrong. By the time Potions class ended, he'd managed to get twenty points taken from Gryffindor and a night's detention. And still, Ron continued to frown at him. He'd hoped to talk to his two friends during lunch, but he didn't get a chance. On the way to the Great Hall, Harry had spotted Dobby in the shadows. The little house-elf was attempting to attract Harry's attention while remaining hidden from everyone else. It really wasn't working, though.

With a sigh, Harry turned to tell Ron and Hermione to go on ahead. But when he looked, Harry found that his two friends had already left him. Trying to shrug off his disappointment, Harry walked over to his tiny friend. "Hello Dobby. Did you want to talk to me?"

Dobby glanced around nervously as he nodded. "Dobby is wanting to tell Harry Potter that Winky is agreeing to look after Miss Wheezy."

Harry smiled. At least that was some good news. "That's great, Dobby," he told the house-elf quietly. "I spoke to Ginny, also. She's agreed to be friends with Winky. I think we've done a good thing, Dobby." The house-elf's only response to that was to stick out his chest proudly as he beamed up at Harry. Trying not to laugh, Harry said, "You keep me informed on how this is helping Winky, okay? And I'll let you know how Ginny's doing, too." Dobby nodded once, then vanished.

Blinking at the empty spot in front of him, Harry shook his head before turning to head to the Great Hall. As soon as he did, he found himself face to face with Draco Malfoy. His spirits once again began to plummet.

"Well, well! What 'interesting' company you keep, Potty. First the weasel, then that mudblood ... and now, a worthless servant. You just have no pride at all, do you?"

"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry growled, trying to get past him. Draco shoved him back, however. In a flash, both boys had their wands out and pointed at each other. Their glares met for a moment, then Harry muttered, "This is stupid, Malfoy. Stupid and childish." Slowly, Harry lowered his wand, though he continued to grip it firmly.

"I couldn't agree with you more," Draco stated coolly. He, too, lowered his wand ... just not as much as Harry had. With a bit of a smirk, the Slytherin boy said, "You know, Potter ... it's not too late for you to wise up. Just like the weaselette, you could still become someone worthwhile. All you have to do is stay with your own kind."

Harry nearly spat out, "You want me to join Voldemort? The same person who killed my parents?" He paused, then added in a low voice, "You're insane."

Draco glared at him, then said, "I never said that. I only said that you should stick with your own." The boy started to turn to leave, but then glanced back over his shoulder. "Oh, and Potter ... Keep your guard up!"

Clenching his wand a bit tighter, Harry asked, "Is that a threat, Malfoy?"

To Harry's surprise, Draco smiled at him. "No. It's just some friendly advice. Things aren't always what they seem ... so it's best to be on guard." Having said that, Malfoy walked away.

As Harry watched Malfoy join his two thuggish friends, a voice said next to him, "Now that was an interesting conversation." Harry jumped. Looking behind him, he found Professor Lupin smiling widely at him. "Sorry, Harry. Didn't mean to startle you."

Shrugging, Harry muttered, "It's alright, Professor." Then, with a look of curiosity, he asked, "How much of the conversation did you hear?"

Professor Lupin's smile widened. "Enough to know that Miss Weasley and Winky have some good friends looking after them." Harry blushed. That just seemed to amuse the professor. He went on to say, "Tilly's been concerned about Ginny, also. She'll be glad to hear that someone's looking out for her."

From the mischievous twinkle in Professor Lupin's eyes, Harry was fairly certain that he hadn't been referring to Winky.

"You best get down to the Great Hall, Harry, if you're going to get some lunch. I'll talk to you later."

With a smirk, Professor Lupin left Harry alone once more. Giving a small sigh, the boy turned and headed off to get some lunch before his next class.

TBC


	25. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I'm only writing this for fun and to practice my writing skills.

A/N: Thanks once more to all of the story's readers & especially to those who have left reviews. Your words have been an encouragement for me to type as often and as quickly as I'm able. Though this chapter is a bit short, I hope that you all enjoy it! Thanks!

Chapter 24

Unfortunately, by the time Harry got down to the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione had already left. Ginny was not around either. Nor was Cho. In the end, Harry found himself sandwiched between the Creevy brothers as he tried to devour his food as quickly as possible.

When Harry arrived in Divinations class, Ron was sitting next to Seamus. Dean Thomas was no where in sight. Professor Trelawney swayed up to Ron and Seamus as Harry sat down nearby.

"Mr. Thomas will not be joining us for class, I see. Of course ... I saw that yesterday as I did my evening meditation. But fear not. Mr. Thomas will be fine."

From across the room, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were looking both horrified and impressed. In a hushed tone, Lavender asked, "Seamus? What happened to Dean? Was he injured?"

Seamus chuckled as he answered, "Only his pride. He made the mistake of accepting something supposedly edible from Fred and George."

Ron chipped in with, "Yeah. If either of my brothers offer you anything to eat ... run!"

Some of the students in the room laughed, while others just shook their heads. Professor Trelawney clapped her hands loudly to get everyone's attention. As she began her lesson, Harry found himself dozing off.

_The room was dark, except for the flickering red flames from the fireplace. A tall, thin figure stood near the fire, staring at it. Near this person was a large coiled up form that was partially hidden in the shadows. The figure by the fire spoke up, "Soon, Nagini ... very soon. I must buy my time until Harry Potter is delivered to me."_

_The figure was interrupted by the entrance of a small, shriveled looking man. "My lord," the man whined as he cowered before the tall figure. In a sniveling voice, he continued, "We have just learned that Harry Potter will be remaining at the school for the Easter holiday."_

_"I figured as much," the other man sneered, not bothering to look at his companion. "But he can't remain there forever. I have confidence that we can lure him away. Is everything set, Wormtail?"_

_Nodding quickly, Wormtail answered, "Yes, my lord. I will make the delivery myself." The dark lord merely nodded, then waved Wormtail away. The smaller man looked extremely relieved as he scooted out of the room._

_As the dark lord turned his head slightly, a high pitched laughter emitted from him. His gaze dropped to the coiled creature on the floor. "It's the perfect plan, Nagini. Harry Potter will never suspect ..."_

"Harry Potter!"

Harry's eyes flew open as he was jolted awake. He found Professor Trelawney's angry face looming in front of his. Without realizing it, Harry touched his slightly throbbing scar as he muttered, "He's up to something."

Immediately, Professor Trelawney's eyes widened. The expression on her face softened considerably as she said, "A vision, Mr. Potter? You've had a vision, haven't you?"

At first, Harry's initial reaction was to deny it. But then, he realized that it really was a vision of sorts. And Professor Trelawney actually looked happier about his sleeping through her class. So, slowly, Harry nodded his head. Professor Trelawney began to clap her hands with delight. It was at this moment that Harry noticed that most of the class had left. Lavender and Parvati were huddled together watching him in awe. On the other hand, Ron and Seamus were looking at him as if he'd gone crazy. Ron also appeared to be just a bit concerned.

"What did you see, Mr. Potter?" Professor Trelawney asked. "Tell me everything."

Harry couldn't possibly tell the professor what he'd seen. She'd blow the whole thing out of proportion. So instead, he whispered, "I saw a tall figure coming in through the front gates."

To Harry's surprise, Professor Trelawney clucked her tongue as her expression changed to a perturbed look. "Oh. You probably just saw Professor Hagrid. He's due in sometime after the Easter break."

"Really!" Harry said, not bothering to hide his excitement. Glancing over at Ron, he could tell that the redhead was intrigued by this news also.

Professor Trelawney waved him off as she said, "Yes, really. Now, you'd best be going. As it is, you're going to be late for dinner. I'd hate to see you miss it completely."

Harry almost wished that he had missed dinner later. Cho had grabbed him the moment he walked into the Great Hall and seemed to be demanding all of his attention. This turned into a steady routine for Harry, clear up to the day that Cho was due to leave for the holiday break.

Walking Cho to the front entrance, where carriages stood waiting to take the students to the Hogwarts Express, Harry smiled briefly at Ron and Hermione. They were waiting for him so that they could head down to Hagrid's hut to get it ready for their friend's return. Cho suddenly distracted him by asking, "You will miss me, won't you, Harry?"

With a slight nod, Harry replied, "Of course I will. It'll only be a few days, though. I'll probably spend the entire time studying for my O.W.L.S. with Ron and Hermione."

This still didn't seem to satisfy Cho. She glanced behind her at the carriages and then sighed. "I wish that I didn't have to go."

Harry didn't really know what to say to her. In truth, he felt that she should appreciate how lucky she was to be able to spend time with her family. So many students weren't able to, for a variety of reasons. Still, he didn't like to see her looking so upset. Squeezing her hand, Harry said gently, "If you'd like, we can owl each other while you're away."

Cho smiled lightly, then nodded. One of the professors called out for the students to board the carriages. "Well," Cho said, straightening slightly, as if bracing herself to tackle some horrible task. "I guess I need to go. Good-bye, Harry."

Smiling, though a bit awkwardly, Harry murmured back, "Bye, Cho." The two stood there, simply gazing at each other for a moment longer. Harry felt as if he ought to do or say something. He wasn't sure if it was at all appropriate to show affection in public ... but ...

Slowly, he began to lean towards Cho. She stood perfectly still, her eyes widening just a bit. Harry lowered his gaze to her lips as he inched closer. They were so red. Fiery red. Just like ...

At the very last moment, Harry closed his eyes. The image that flashed through his mind startled him so much that he shifted his head to the side just a bit. When he opened his eyes, he realized that Cho must have done the same. He was kissing her squarely on the cheek instead of his original target. Stepping back, Harry felt himself blush.

At first, it seemed that Cho was not too pleased. With a hint of a frown, she turned her gaze away from Harry to look over his shoulder at the castle. All of a sudden, a smile formed on her face. Looking back at the boy, Cho threw her arms around his neck as she told him, "Thanks, Harry. I'll miss you so much!"

Harry gave a slightly confused wave as Cho nearly skipped off to one of the carriages. He watched the vehicles pull away, then sighed heavily. Turning to join Ron and Hermione, Harry glanced up at the castle. A movement in one of the windows made him take pause. He was almost positive that he'd seen a flash of red hair. Long, fiery red hair.

Walking beside Ron and Hermione over to Hagrid's hut, Harry silently lost himself in his thoughts. Something about Cho's behavior just before she left bothered him. One moment, she'd seemed upset and moody ... the next, she was all smiles and happy. Harry didn't think that Cho was just putting on a cheerful front to make their parting easier. There'd been something else to provoke the change in her. Glancing back over his shoulder at the school, Harry's mind tried to piece his various thoughts together. His gaze focused on the window where he was certain Ginny had been looking out of earlier. Had she been looking out while he and Cho had been saying good-bye? Had Cho noticed the younger girl as he had?

A sudden thought made Harry stumble slightly as he was walking. He realized that Cho had been looking over his shoulder at the school just before her mood had changed. Had the sight of Ginny looking out the window caused the girl's sudden happiness? That made no sense to Harry. Quickening his steps to catch up with his friends, Harry frowned down at the ground. He'd no sooner came up to Ron's side when his footing faltered yet again.

"You alright there, mate?" Ron asked, giving Harry a curious look.

Harry nodded, though he wasn't sure he was really being truthful. Physically, he was fine ... except for the fact that his stomach had begun to twist and knot at the realization that if Ginny had been watching him and Cho, she would have seen their almost farewell kiss. The boy's frown deepened, wondering why that thought made him feel sort of sick to his stomach.

Before Harry had time to really examine his feelings, the three teens had reached the hut. The moment that Hermione opened the door, all of them started to cough and choke as dust whipped around them from inside the small dwelling. Waving a hand in front of her face, Hermione said, "This place is a mess. Let's get working so that we can have this place back to the way it was before Hagrid left."

Following the girl into the hut, Ron muttered to Harry, "Knowing Hagrid, this was exactly how it was before he left." Harry just chuckled lightly as he nodded in agreement.

For the rest of the day while they worked on cleaning the hut, Harry didn't mention what had happened earlier in front of the school. As Hermione gave the boys one task after another, the only thoughts going through either of their heads was trying to finish up so they could get out of there. By the time the trio made their way back up to the school for dinner, they were too exhausted to even talk.

As Harry sat eating his food, he looked around at the remaining students. Usually, not many students stayed for the Easter holiday. This year, over half of the students had chosen to remain at Hogwarts. In fact, no one from Harry's dorm room would be gone for the week.

"I wonder where Ginny is," Hermione suddenly said, breaking through Harry's thoughts. Ron shrugged as he helped himself to more potatoes. Turning her attention back to her food, Hermione muttered, "I suppose she might have ate early tonight."

Harry considered saying something about seeing the younger girl earlier, but ended up staying silent. It wasn't as if that information would explain where Ginny was at the moment. Seeing that Fred and George had joined them, Harry listened as they told Ron about a letter they'd received from Charlie. This, unfortunately, led to one of Ron and Hermione's fights.

"I can't believe he had the nerve," Ron grumbled almost angrily as they headed up to their dorm. Pretending to imitate his older brother, the boy mimicked, "Tell Hermione that I said hello and send my love." His shoulders drooped. "How bloody rude ..."

"He only did it to get to you, Ron," Harry stated offhandedly.

His best friend paused in his getting ready for bed. "Why would he do that? I mean ... Why Hermione? Why try to get to me at all?" Ron shook his head in disgust. "What I can't believe is how Hermione is just eating up the attention. Did you see her? She got that ... weird ... look on her face when Fred told her what Charlie had written. I just can't believe her ..."

Harry rolled his eyes as he climbed into his bed. He had to fight the urge to smack Ron on the head and yell at him to just get it through his thick head that he was jealous. It might not be clear to his friend, but Harry felt certain that Ron had strong feelings for Hermione. And he was pretty sure that she returned those same feelings. But something seemed to hold them back from revealing this information to each other. As far as Harry was concerned, helping his two best friends get together was not something he was prepared to get involved in. He had enough on his plate without adding that.

Eventually, Ron's chatter about Charlie's letter and Hermione drifted into a rhythmic snoring. Harry lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His thoughts went from his best friends' love lives to his own. If he could even call it one. As his mind brought up images of Cho, he couldn't help but sigh with discouragement. Within minutes, he'd fallen into a restless sleep.

"Harry Potter!"

Harry wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep. All he knew was that his body was being shaken quite roughly.

"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter must wake up!"

"What," Harry muttered sleepily. One eye managed to pry open, allowing the boy to see who was trying to awaken him. "Dobby?" he said, his tone more than a little irritated. "What do you want?"

The little house-elf continued to shake the boy as he exclaimed, "Missing, Harry Potter! Dobby is most certain, sir!"

Both eyes open, Harry asked, "Who's missing, Dobby? What are you talking about?"

"Winky is telling Dobby, sir, that Miss Wheezy is missing!"

Now, Harry was fully awake. Sitting up, he said, "Ginny's missing? How? Why? Are you sure?"

The house-elf quickly filled Harry in on what Winky had told him. Apparently, Winky had been looking for Ginny since dinner and the girl was nowhere to be found.

"Did you check Hermione's room?" Ron asked sleepily from his bed. Dobby must have woken the other boys during his attempt to awaken Harry.

At Ron's question, Dobby stopped fretting. "Dobby is not knowing, Mr. Wheezy. Dobby will ask Winky." Empty air suddenly took the place of where the elf had stood.

Harry looked across the room at his best friend. With a slight shrug, Ron said, "She's probably staying in Hermione's room. I think only Lavender stayed for the break, so there's plenty of room for her.

Though he gave a nod at Ron's words, Harry still didn't feel any better. He wanted to know for certain that Ginny was safe. He'd just thrown on his dressing robe when Dobby reappeared. One look at the house-elf's face and Harry knew Dobby wasn't brining good news. "Well?" he asked.

Dobby shook his head. "Winky is saying Miss Wheezy is not with Miss Granger. Miss Wheezy is not anywhere!"

Just then, the door to the boys' dorm room burst open. Hermione rushed in with a worried look on her face. To Harry's surprise, Lavender was right behind her. "Winky woke us up," Hermione stated as Ron yelled out, "Hermione!" Ignoring the boy as he reached for his own dressing robe, Hermione went on to say, "She said that Ginny wasn't in her room ... that she hasn't been able to find her ..."

A sudden thought hit Harry. The last he'd seen Ginny was when he was saying good-bye to Cho ...

"When did everyone last see her?" Ron was asking as he peered around. "I remember seeing her at breakfast, but not since."

That had been the last time that any of them had seen Ginny. Except for Harry. "I saw her after breakfast ... sort of," he told the group. Ron and Hermione gave him a questioning look. "I saw her looking out one of the windows by the main doors when I was seeing Cho to the carriages."

"Oh," Hermione nearly groaned, seeming to realize something from Harry's statement. Next to her, Ron was still looking confused. Looking over at the redhead, Hermione said in a slow, deliberate way, "She was looking out the window ... while Harry said his good-byes to Cho." Ron blinked at her a couple times, then his eyes widened slightly and he, too, gave a groan.

Neville, still sitting in his bed, said, "Wouldn't one of her dorm mates have seen her ... or one of her friends?"

Hermione spoke up, "All of her dorm mates went home for the holiday."

"And she doesn't seem to have that many friends," Lavender added. As everyone looked her way, the girl shrugged. "Well, she doesn't. Every time I see her, she's off by herself or with Hermione."

Seamus didn't even bother to sit up in his bed as he suggested in an amused tone, "You know, maybe Ginny doesn't want to be found right now. Maybe she's in the company of someone special."

Harry barely noticed Ron going red as he, himself, suddenly was feeling a bit sick at the thought of Ginny off in some secluded nook with another guy.

"We never did find out who that Stephan guy was. Maybe, well ..." Hermione couldn't finish because Ron looked like he was about to go on a killing rampage.

Before Harry could tell his friend that he intended to join him on his hunt, Lavender said, "I've never heard of any Stephan here at Hogwarts. And I know most all of the boys at the school." Both Seamus and Dean snorted loudly at that, earning them a glare from the pretty girl.

Hermione also glared at the boys as she told them, "Well, I think that Ginny has better sense then to go sneaking around at night just to snuggle with some boy."

Harry suddenly blushed. Hermione had inadvertently reminded him of his and Ginny's journey to the safe house. The memory of Ginny snuggling close to him kept flickering in his head. Remembering how warm she'd felt in his arms that morning on the beach made Harry's heart pound so loudly that he was sure the others could hear. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione, but they were in the midst of an argument. Neville, however, was giving him an odd look.

It was finally decided that Hermione and Lavender would do a thorough search of the girls' dorms, while Neville, Ron, and Harry checked elsewhere. Both Seamus and Dean were certain that Ginny was off somewhere snogging, so they went back to sleep. Before he left his dorm room, Harry grabbed up his invisibility cloak.

As soon as the three boys got down to the common room, Harry asked Neville to check the library and Great Hall. It was really too early, but she could have fallen asleep while studying. Neville agreed without any problem and quietly left. Once the boys were alone, Ron turned to Harry and said, "She can't have been in the library all night. Madame Pince would have sent her back here long ago."

"I know," Harry stated, then pulled out his invisibility cloak. Ron looked at him with confusion. Harry told him, "We need the Marauder's Map."

That made Ron's eyes go wide and a large smile cross his face. Moving towards the door to leave, he asked, "Any idea where it might be?"

With a nod, Harry said, "It was originally found in Filch's file cabinet ... we ought to look there first. Maybe we'll find some other useful items there as well." Throwing the cloak around them, Harry and Ron stepped through the portrait doorway.

TBC


	26. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I'm only writing this for fun.

A/N: There should be only six more chapters after this one. Thanks to all who have kept reading & to those who have reviewed. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 25

Having the invisibility cloak definitely made it much easier to sneak through the school halls in the wee morning hours. Still, Harry and Ron did meet up with obstacles along the way. Many of the house elves were popping up to prepare the castle for the day. The small creatures couldn't see the boys, but they must have felt or heard their presence as they all continued to glance around fearfully.

A few students were already up and on their way to the Great Hall. At this time of day, students were only allowed to go there or to the library. Most stayed in their dorm rooms or common rooms. It surprised Harry that there were no teachers around. Or, at least there hadn't been until they reached Filch's office.

Flattening their backs against the wall near the door, Harry and Ron suddenly found themselves in the company of Professor Snape and Filch. The two men had just come out of Filch's office and were in deep discussion.

"I don't like it," Filch was saying as he shook his head. "It's just not smart leaving only the four of us in charge of this many kids. Something's bound to go wrong."

"Nothing's going to go wrong," Professor Snape answered in an annoyed tone. "I'll make sure of it."

Filch snickered at that. "You'll make sure of it, hmm? What about Professor Lupin or Professor Trelawney? They're in charge just as much as you are."

Professor Snape looked down his long nose at the other man as he scoffed, "That old bat in the tower hasn't the foggiest idea what's going on. And Lupin ... well, he's going to be a bit preoccupied for the next couple days."

The two men began to walk off while Filch continued to mutter bitterly about having so many students in the school during the break. As soon as they were gone, Harry looked at Ron. "Where's Dumbledore?" Ron could only shrug in reply.

Quietly, they moved over to the doorway to Filch's office. Harry pulled his wand out and cast the spell to unlock the door. They entered the room and shut the door behind them. Alone now, Harry felt it was safe enough to remove the invisibility cloak. Once free from its covering, the boys began their search for the Maurader's Map.

"Harry," Ron suddenly said in a hesitant voice.

Glancing at his best friend, Harry asked, "What, Ron? Did you find it?"

Ron shook his head. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't know how or what. After a moment, he finally managed to say, "Harry? Do you think Ginny could just be off somewhere, um ... you know ... snogging?" That last word had slipped out of Ron's mouth in much the same manner as the slugs had back in their second year. Ron looked just about as sick now as he had back then.

Feeling his own face burn with a hint of anger as well as embarrassment, Harry answered firmly, "No."

Immediately, Ron looked relieved. But the expression didn't last long. It was replaced with one of doubt as the boy then asked, "How can you be so sure? I mean, I think that I know my sister pretty well ... still ... maybe I don't."

"Well, I do," Harry said in a stubborn tone as he turned back to his search. "Ginny's just not the kind of girl to sneak off in the middle of the night with some guy. She's got better morals than that. Besides ... I know that she can be mischievous and stubborn at times, but ... she's too, um, sweet to do something like that." Unfortunately, Harry's mind decided at that moment to replay the memory of Ginny standing in the bathroom doorway, towel wrapped around her as her hair fell in damp waves around her face. Fighting an urge to blush at the image in his head, Harry dug deeper into the file cabinet.

He could tell that Ron was looking at him, probably trying to figure him out. Harry did his best to ignore his best friend and continue his searching. Luck was with him because the very next folder he opened had the map in it. "I found it!" he exclaimed as he held it up. Ron scooted over to his side as Harry tapped his wand to the parchment. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

For a moment, nothing happened. Harry was afraid that Crouch Jr. might have tampered with the map; maybe even destroyed it. But then he notice that the map was slowly appearing.

"Is she on there?" Ron asked anxiously. "Do you see her?"

Harry scanned the entire map closely, but didn't see a dot for Ginny anywhere. "I can't find her on it," he said, trying to push off the feeling of discouragement. He'd really hoped that this would show them where the girl was.

Ron snatched the parchment from him and began to examine it. "She's got to be here," he stated, not looking up from the map. "Look ... there's Hermione. And Neville. George is in his dorm room ..." Ron paused, then added with a snort, "Fred and Angelina are almost one dot ..."

Blushing, Harry took the map back from the other boy. "Let's take the map to Remus. Maybe he can help us out." Ron just nodded silently. Being as quiet and careful as possible, the two boys left the office. They headed towards the Great Hall to meet up with Hermione first.

As they hadn't been looking at the map, it surprised both Harry and Ron when they turned the corner and ran into Draco Malfoy and Goyle.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry, Potty?"

Harry went to push past the Slytherin boys as he muttered, "Sod off, Malfoy. I'm in no mood for you today."

Draco seemed a bit put off by Harry's comment as he blocked his path once more. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Ron gripping his wand angrily. Before any of them could make another move, Hermione suddenly came racing down the hallway.

"Did you find i ... um, her?" the girl asked anxiously.

"Find who?" Draco demanded.

At the same time, a thought suddenly surged through Harry's mind. In one swift move, he lunged forward and grabbed Draco by the collar. Slamming him against the wall, Harry growled, "It was you, wasn't it!" Draco just stared back, completely startled by what was happening. Ignoring this, Harry practically yelled, "You've been hassling her all school year. What have you done with her, you bastard! If you've hurt her, I swear ..."

"Harry! Stop!" Hermione pleaded as she tried to pull the boy away from Draco. "Ron! Don't just stand there! Help me!" Ron, who had been watching the unfolding events with a look of bewilderment, pointed his wand and started for Malfoy as well. "That's Not Helping, Ronald!" Hermione shouted, then stepped away from the boys. Goyle had joined into the mix and the four were wrestling as they slugged each other wildly. Pulling her wand out, Hermione muttered, "Boys ...". It was quickly followed by, "Petrificus Totalius".

The first spell hit Ron, sending him smashing to the floor. Hermione raised her wand again, this time casting the spell at Goyle. Harry had seen all of this out of the corner of his eye, but was too angry to completely comprehend what she was doing. Suddenly, his whole body seized up and Harry found himself unable to move. In almost slow motion, he plummeted to the floor next to Ron. Harry could hear Malfoy chuckling above him.

"Never thought you'd do me a favor like that, mudblood," the Slytherin said. The next sound that Harry heard was a sort of gasp of surprise, followed by the sight of a stiffened Malfoy lying prone on the floor.

"Like I'd ever do anything for you," Hermione said bitterly from above the four boys. "Now that I have your attention, I'm going to take the spell off of you. But don't even think about starting that up again. The next thing that I cast on you _won't_ be a simple spell ... it'll be a hex. Got it!" As none of the boys could really answer, she went ahead and took the spell off of them.

Draco sat up stiffly and glared at the girl. "Don't you Ever do that again!" he yelled. Hermione just glared back at him impassively. The boy turned to Harry. "And I don't know what your problem is, Potter, but don't you ever ..."

Ron interrupted, "Did you do something to my sister? Do you know where she is?"

For a second, Draco just looked at the redhead. A slow sneer formed on his face as he finally said, "Why would I know where your little sister is, Weasel? Like I even care ..." An expression of realization crossed his face and he looked back at Harry. "Oh! So that's it. The Weaselette has gone missing and her personal knight in shining armor can't find her to rescue her."

Harry started to move menacingly towards the Slytherin, but Hermione blocked his way. Draco went on with a slight smirk, "Why don't you ask your little servant friend. Didn't you make some kind of arrangement to have the Weaselette guarded or something?"

Both Ron and Hermione gave Harry a questioning look, but Harry ignored them. In a practical growl, he asked, "Do you or don't you know where Ginny is?" Malfoy just grinned wickedly, but said nothing. Harry shook his head, then began to turn to head to the Great Hall. As he did, he found himself face to face with a frantic looking Crabbe. The large boy brushed past him, hurrying over to Draco and Goyle.

"Have you seen Mia?" he asked, obvious panic in his voice. "I can't find her anywhere. She wasn't at dinner last night, but I figured she just wasn't hungry. But then she didn't show up for breakfast ..."

"Crabbe," Malfoy said irritatedly. "Calm down. Breakfast just started. She's probably having a lie in."

The other boy just shook his head firmly. "No. I asked one of her roommates. She told me that Mia never came to bed last night." While Crabbe looked almost close to tears, Draco suddenly had an expression to kill. He glared once at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, then stormed off with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.

"What was that about?" Ron asked as soon as they were alone.

Harry shrugged. Pulling out the Maurader's Map, he searched it intently for a moment. Then, with a sigh of frustration, he said, "Mia's not on the map, either." Ron frowned as he glanced down at the map in Harry's hands.

"That makes two students missing," Hermione stated with a worried look. She quickly added, "We ought to tell Professor Dumbledore."

"We can't," Harry told her. Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but the boy kept talking. "We overheard Snape and Filch saying that Dumbledore's not here. Snape is in charge."

"Along with Remus and Trelawney," Ron added. "We can't go to Snape or Filch ... and Trelawney wouldn't be any help. We've got to go see Remus."

Hermione shook her head. "That won't work." She'd been glancing at the Maurader's Map and now pointed at it. "He's not even in the castle right now. There must be a full moon because he's at the shrieking shack."

With a groan, Ron and Harry looked away. "What do we do now?" Ron asked with discouragement.

Harry, mirroring the other boy's expression, simply said, "Keep searching. What else can we do?"

They spent the entire morning roaming the castle with the aid of the map. Still, there was no sign of Ginny or Mia. By lunch time, they had decided to split up and search. Ron took the grounds, while Hermione checked the classrooms. Harry took the towers. Although he was afraid he might, Harry luckily didn't run into Professor Trelawney.

The trio regrouped in the Great Hall at dinner time. By the look on their faces, they didn't need to ask each other what was found ... or, what wasn't found. Harry tried to take a bite of his food, but just couldn't. Instead, he pushed his plate away and sighed. "This is no good. We know that Ginny isn't anywhere on Hogwarts territory, so why continue searching for her here? It's like losing a needle in a haystack, then searching the grain bin for it."

"Harry," Hermione said patiently, "She could still be here somewhere. Maybe she's under a spell ... or a curse? For all we know, the map might not work very well anymore. I think we should check Gryffindor Tower one more time, then ... tell the twins." Both Harry and Ron raised an eyebrow at her suggestion.

Before Hermione could explain herself, Collin Creevey walked up to the table. "Excuse me," the younger boy said quietly.

"What is it, Collin?" Ron asked irritably. "We're kind of busy here."

Harry frowned up at Collin. Although things had been cleared up between them, knowing that Ginny was missing and seeing Collin looking oblivious just brought back a variety of negative feelings towards the boy.

Collin didn't seem to notice Ron or Harry's irritation as he blurted out, "Have any of you seen Dennis?" The trio gave the boy a startled look as he continued. "I was supposed to meet him for lunch, but he didn't show. Not that that's anything new. Any time Hannah calls, he goes running. So it's not that surprising that he didn't meet me at lunch because Hannah had sent him several owls this morning. She went home for some large family gathering ..."

"Whoa! Whoa!" Hermione said as she held her hands up to slow the boy down. "Hold on there, Collin. Are you saying that Dennis was supposed to meet you for lunch, but he didn't show?" Collin nodded. "Okay," Hermione went on with a thoughtful look on her face. "And you figure that he didn't show up because of Hannah's note ..."

"Notes," Collin corrected, nodding again. "She sent him three or four owls."

While Hermione continued to try to sort out Collin's predicament, Harry snuck a quick look at the map. Instinctively, he looked first for Ginny's name. However, he also searched the entire map for any sign of Mia or Dennis. None of the three were there. He looked up sharply as Hermione spoke again.

"He's probably just off somewhere writing Hannah a note." Harry began to shake his head a bit, which caught Hermione's attention. Her eyes widened, showing that she understood what that meant.

Ron, who didn't seem to notice this exchange, asked Collin, "What did Hannah want? Why so many letters?"

Collin blushed, replying, "Well, I assumed that it had to do with the two of them being a couple now. They've been sort of dating."

Eyes sparkling, Hermione exclaimed, "Really? Oh, that's so sweet!"

With a light shrug, Collin said, "I suppose so. It's actually more annoying than anything if you ask me." Both Ron and Harry snorted with light laughter. Hermione silenced them with a glare. "Well," Collin went on, "I'm going to keep looking for my brother. If any of you see him, tell him that I'm trying to find him." The three nodded, then watched as the boy walked off.

As soon as Collin was gone, Harry stated, "Dennis isn't on the map."

While Hermione gave a worried look, Ron exclaimed, "What? That means that there are three students missing. Something is definitely going on."

Glancing back and forth between the boys, Hermione said, "We need to send an owl to Professor Dumbledore."

Harry shook his head. "Not yet." When Hermione gave him a questioning look, he told her, "I think we should try to risk seeing Remus."

With an fierce shake of her head, Hermione said, "Harry, he's in no condition to help us."

Irritably, Ron spat out, "And for all we know, neither is Dumbledore. Do you think that he'd really leave the school in the care of a werewolf, squib, loon, and ... well ... Snape, if it weren't for something of extreme importance!"

Hermione pulled back from the boy with wide eyes and a hurt expression. Neither her nor Harry had ever heard Ron use that tone with anyone before. Ron must have even surprised himself, because for a moment his mouth just hung open. Then, in a hushed voice, he said, "Buggers, Hermione ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have ..."

Waving him off, Hermione gave the boy a timid smile. There were tears threatening to spill from her eyes, still she told Ron, "You're right. Professor Dumbledore has other concerns. We can find Ginny and the others." Harry shot her an appreciative smile, while Ron continued to look remorsefully at the girl.

They finally decided that since it was so late, they'd find a quiet corner in Gryffindor common room and watch the map for the night. It was decided that they would each take turns looking for any hints or signs of the missing students. After about four hours of watching, the only thing they'd learned was who was sneaking off with whom ... and where the most popular snogging spots were in the school.

It was Harry's turn to monitor the map when midnight rolled around. He was watching with interest as Draco paced back and forth in the Slytherin common room. Harry almost felt bad for the other boy. Draco had been seen on the map all evening, searching the castle. 'He must really care about Mia. She is Crabbe's sister, so ...' Harry suddenly realized what he'd just thought.

His mind turned to Ginny. She was his best friend's sister, just as Mia was Draco's friend's sister. Harry wasn't sure why, but the similarities bothered him. Without realizing it, he laid his head down on the map. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Hermione curled up in a chair and Ron sprawled out on a couch. Both were sound asleep. 'Ginny,' Harry thought as his eyes began to close. 'Where are you? Why'd you disappear?' Right before he drifted into a deep sleep, Harry had one last thought. 'Don't be afraid, Ginny ... I'll find you ...'

"Harry! Wake up!"

Immediately, Harry's eyes flew open. Hermione and Ron were standing over him, both looking ruffled and tired.

"You fell asleep and didn't wake Hermione or I up," Ron told him.

Stretching, Harry said embarrassedly, "Sorry, Ron. Nothing was happening. What time is it, anyway?"

"Around six in the morning," Hermione answered.

Harry looked down at the map, which was still activated. He scanned it quickly, but did not see Ginny, Dennis, or Mia's names. He did notice that Collin was down in the Great Hall. "Why don't we go down for breakfast," he told the other two as he pointed out Collin's name. Handing the map to Ron, he said, "Maybe Collin's found something out."

But Collin didn't know anything new. He sat at the Gryffindor table, plucking at his plate of untouched food.

Not having much of an appetite either, Harry glanced around at all the other full plates of food. It seemed like no one could eat. Harry wasn't sure why, but he suddenly heard Tilly's voice in his head.

_'Your bodies need nourishment, whether you are hungry or not. Not eating won't make the time pass quicker ... nor will it make changes in what has happened. It will, however, give you the strength to face whatever the future has in store for you.'_

"Of course!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, slamming his hand onto the table. Nearly everyone in the Great Hall jumped and stared at the boy. Harry didn't care. He was too preoccupied. "I don't know why I didn't think of it before ..." Getting up from the table, he stated, "You two stay here. I won't be long."

Ignoring his friends' bewildered expressions, Harry hurried out of the Great Hall and up the main stairs. He continued to walk quickly through this hall and that, until he'd finally reached his destination.

The Owlery.

"Hey Hedwig," Harry called softly to his owl. The white bird flew gracefully down to him and hooted quietly. Harry had grabbed some toast from the table before he'd left the Great Hall. Breaking off a piece, he fed it to the owl. She clicked her beak appreciatively. "I've got a job for you, girl. An important one."

Hedwig puffed out her chest, almost as if she'd understood what Harry was saying. Grabbing up some parchment, ink, and a quill, he wrote out a quick note.

**Dear Tilly,**

**Ginny has seemed to have disappeared from Hogwarts, along with two other students. Prof. Lupin is unavailable to help, as is Prof. Dumbledore. We have searched, but can't find Ginny anywhere. Could you please come and help us?**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione**

Harry rolled up the parchment and tied it to Hedwig's leg. "Okay girl. Take this to Tilly Jenson. It's important ... Very important to me, okay?" Hedwig hooted, gave Harry an affectionate peck, then flew up and out one of the owlery's windows. For a moment, Harry just stood there, watching her fly away.

"Sending for reinforcements, Potter?"

Turning, Harry found Draco standing in the owlery doorway, sneering at him.

"Guess you're not as great as you're always made out to be."

Harry frowned as he replied, "No, I'm not. But then, I never thought that I was. I don't have a big head like some people I know." To Harry's surprise, Malfoy laughed. Trying to push past him, Harry moved forward. "Excuse me, Malfoy. I've got better things to do than put up with your pettiness."

As he started down to the Great Hall again, Harry found himself being followed by Draco. He tried his best to ignore the boy, but it was hard. In the back of Harry's mind, he kept thinking about how Malfoy had been bothering Ginny and the way the boy had acted towards the young girl. Halfway down a set of stairs, Harry suddenly stopped and turned on Malfoy. "You had better not have had anything to do with Ginny's disappearance, Malfoy. I swear, if I find out that you did ..."

"You'll what?"

Emerald eyes narrowed. "I'll kill you," Harry stated in a cool, but deadly tone.

Draco chuckled. "Ooohhh! Such tough words. You seem to show a lot of emotion for a girl who's not your girlfriend. I wonder what Cho would have to say about the way you're behaving. Bet she'd be back here in a blink of an eye to put you back under her spell ..."

He stopped talking as the staircase they were on suddenly began to shift. Both boys grabbed on to the railing as the stairs slid in a new direction. Instead of ending up in the hallway that would take them to the Great Hall, they were now being directed to a hall that Harry wasn't familiar with.

Still, he had no intention of continuing to stand there with Malfoy. And Harry was too stubborn to turn back. So, walking down the stairs, Harry entered the unknown corridor. He could hear Draco's steps behind him, but ignored the boy. About a third of the way down the hall, Harry realized where he was. It was a long, empty hall that would lead out to a back way to the Great Hall. It was never used much since there were no rooms off of it.

Or, at least, Harry thought that was the hallway he was in. He wasn't so sure when he noticed a door on the right hand side about ten feet ahead of him. "That's not supposed to be here," Harry muttered.

"What's not supposed to be here?" Draco asked from behind him.

For a moment, Harry considered not answering. He really didn't want to talk to Malfoy anymore. However, the thought that the doorway might lead to a clue to Ginny's whereabouts nagged at him. Pointing to the wooden door, Harry asked, "Do you know what that leads to?"

Draco looked at the door with a dumbfounded expression and shrugged. "I've never seen it before. In fact ..." He glanced around. "I don't think it's ever been in this hallway. I didn't think there was any rooms off this hall."

Knowing that they'd checked everywhere else, Harry began to move towards the door.

"Where are you going? Draco asked in astonishment. "You can't be thinking of going in there? We have no idea what's behind that door!"

"No, we don't," Harry agreed over his shoulder. "But if there's even the slightest chance that Ginny's in there, then I've got to go through that door." He paused, then added, "Mia might even be in there, for all we know." Harry reached out to grab hold of the knob on the door. Turning it and giving a push, it opened easily. Right at his shoulder, he noticed Draco light his wand with a Lumos spell. The two boys cautiously entered into the darkness beyond the door. In the bit of wand light, Harry could see that they were in another hallway.

SLAM!

Whirling around, both boys took on expressions of horror. There, no in front of them where once stood a wooden door, was a solid brick wall.

"Where's the door?" Draco whispered.

Harry shrugged. Glancing around them, he said in a strained voice, "More importantly ... Where are we?"

TBC


	27. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Just writing for fun.

A/N: Sorry to have taken so long again in posting. Very busy. Thanks to all who are still reading the story & to everyone who has reviewed.

Chapter 26

"This is your fault, you know!"

Harry ignored Draco as he continued to walk down yet another dark corridor. They'd been walking for hours, trying to find somewhere familiar. So far, they hadn't even come across any other doors. It was almost as if they'd entered a maze.

Of course, this only made Harry think of another maze he'd once been in. 'It's too much like the third task,' he silently mused as they rounded a corner. Harry glanced over at the boy next to him upon hearing Draco muttering.

"I told you we should have gone the other direction."

Harry bit back the urge to tell Draco to sod off. Even though he couldn't have a worse companion, Harry was grateful to not be alone. They came to another turn and cautiously went around it. Both stopped immediately.

"Oh, Fantastic!" Draco grumbled. "This one looks as if it goes on forever!"

In truth, Harry agreed with the Slytherin boy. However, he had no plans to let Draco know that. Instead, he just said firmly, "Malfoy, we've got to keep going. We can't just stop."

"Well, why the bloody hell not?" Draco demanded. "No ones going to find us if we keep wandering deeper into this ... abyss! We've got to head back now!" When Harry shook his head in disagreement, Malfoy nearly screamed, "Yes, Potter! Now!"

However, Harry refused to budge. "I'm not looking for the way out," he finally said in a hauntingly quiet tone. "And you shouldn't be either. We should be looking for Ginny, Mia, and Dennis." Glancing at Draco, Harry was satisfied to see a more thoughtful expression on the boy's face. "We keep going," Harry added after a moment, earning a slight nod from Draco. The two stepped off into the darkness together.

Hours later, the boys weren't feeling as confident. They slumped tiredly against a wall in yet another dark corridor. "I need food," Draco complained. "Don't you know any good food charms? After all, you hang around with supposedly one of the most intelligent students in school. Hasn't she trained you in some food charms?"

Harry gave Draco a sour look. "Well, you hang around with human garbage disposals ... don't you have to know how to conjure up food to keep them in line?"

Malfoy gave a loud laugh at that. "I ought to keep that idea in mind. But, no ... I don't know any spells." He paused, a somewhat bewildered expression crossing his face. "And, what exactly is a garbage disposal?"

Sighing, Harry tried to ignore his growling stomach as he muttered, "Never mind. Look, Malfoy ... let's just try to rest a little. Maybe after some sleep we'll be able to think straighter. Okay?" There was no answer. "Malfoy?" I asked you ..." Harry stopped speaking, however, as his gaze fell upon the boy next to him. Draco was sound asleep. Letting out another sigh, Harry closed his eyes and attempted to sleep.

Some time must have gone by before Harry awoke with a start. He'd been dreaming. Unfortunately, as soon as he'd opened his eyes, the dream left his memory. The fact that his heart was beating fast and he was sweating was evidence enough that he'd been having a nightmare. Looking down at the sleeping Slytherin boy, Harry couldn't help but wonder if the nightmare was still occurring.

Malfoy's eyes began to flutter open ... then closed again. "Mia," the boy muttered, his voice full of concern. Harry raised an eyebrow at that. Again, Draco's eyes opened. This time they stayed that way as the boy looked up at Harry. "What are you staring at, Potter?" he sneered as he pulled himself up to sit.

"Pleasant dreams?" Harry inquired. He hoisted himself up off the floor.

Frowning, Draco narrowed his eyes at him. "I don't dream. No Malfoy does."

Despite knowing better, Harry didn't press the issue. Instead, he motioned with a nod towards the darkened hallway. "We ought to start walking again."

"This is really stupid," Draco argued as he stood up. "If they are moving around and we're moving around, we'll never catch up to them. We'll all just keep wandering around. What we need to do is go back and get help. Professor Snape would be ..."

"NO!" Harry stated loudly, his voice echoing down the hall. "We can't ask Snape to come in here. He's the only real protection that the school's got right now." Ignoring Draco's raised eyebrows and delighted smirk, Harry said more quietly, "We do this ourselves."

"No ... _You_ do this yourself," Draco said after a moment's pause. "I'm going back."

The two boys stood there glaring at each other for a long time. Harry finally growled out, "Fine! You go back and get help. I'll go forward and try to find anyone that I can. If I come to any forks or whatever, then I'll mark which way I took." He paused, then added, "We will find them."

Draco stared at him for a second, then gave a solemn nod. "Yes ... we will."

Without another word, each boy turned and parted paths. Harry walked along the darkened corridor, his thoughts wandering idly. Flickering images of the past year began to slip through his mind. He thought back to the train ride ... the confrontation with Malfoy. Harry had to admit that he truly hoped Malfoy wouldn't be the one to find Ginny. The others weren't an issue. However, he just couldn't trust Draco when it came to Ginny.

Truth be told, Harry wasn't sure that he'd trust anyone when it came to the youngest Weasley. Silently, he wondered why that was. What made him so protective of her? Though he always thought that he had been protective when it came to Hermione, Harry realized that it was no where the same as it was with Ginny. The feelings were different. In fact, his feeling for the younger girl were different than his feelings for any girl that he'd ever known.

Which lead him to his thoughts on Cho. She was, after all, his girlfriend. The memory of Cho dancing with Cedric flashed in his head. Oddly enough, it didn't seem to bother him like it had the year before. In the far back of his mind, there was a nagging sensation that this should mean something ... something important. But Harry seemed to be unable to grasp it.

He turned into another corridor and began the long walk down the new hall. Mid step, he paused. There, up ahead of him on the floor, was some sort of object. Moving closer, Harry recognized it as a wand. Although he knew it was risky, he reached down and carefully picked it up.

Upon closer inspection, Harry noticed that it looked very worn and old. Holding it in his hand, he was surprised to find a sort of warmth radiating from it. He pocketed it, then took a step forward.

SWOOSH!

The floor suddenly disappeared beneath Harry, and he began to fall. Not for long, though. Within seconds, he landed on a smooth surface and began to slide down it. That only lasted a bit longer before Harry found himself shooting off the slide into nothingness. Falling once more, Harry only had time to let out a startled cry before he smacked onto a solid floor with a loud thud. He lay there for a moment in the dark, then groaned. Though he didn't think he'd broken anything, it hurt to move.

A sudden noise beside him hushed Harry. He was just about to call out when a soft voice asked, "Who's there?"

Immediately, Harry recognized the voice and he nearly shouted, "Ginny! Ginny, is that you?"

There was a moment of silence, then, "Harry? ... It's really you, right? This isn't another dream?"

Harry shook his head, then felt his face burn as he remembered that it was too dark to see. "No, it's not a dream. I'm really here. We've been looking all over for you."

"Is Ron and Hermione here, too?" Ginny asked.

Scooting in the direction of the girl's voice, Harry answered, "No. I'm alone." He paused, then asked with confusion, "Ginny? Why are you sitting in the dark?"

"I lost my wand. Do you have yours, Harry?"

Harry suddenly realized that his hands were empty. "Um, no. I seem to have dropped it. Oh ... but I found another one just before I fell." He pulled the other wand out of his pocket. A strange warmth spread over his hand as he grasped the wooden stick. In a low voice, Harry muttered the Lumos charm.

As light flooded around him, Harry glanced around to find that they were in what appeared to be another hallway. His gaze slowly drifted over to Ginny. Her long red hair was in tangles, but she otherwise looked fine. She was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall.

"Hi," she said as she smiled softly back at Harry.

A slow smile formed on his own face as Harry murmured back, "Hi." Ginny shifted, then winced. Immediately, the smile faded from the boy's face as a look of concern replaced it. "Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" he asked as he quickly moved to her side.

As Harry knelt beside her, Ginny tried to wave him off. "It's nothing, really. I just twisted my ankle or something." Harry moved the wand closer to the girl's ankle to take a look at it. When he did, Ginny exclaimed, "Oh! You found my wand!"

Harry glanced down at the wand in his hand, then held it out to Ginny. "It was near where I fell ..."

Ginny smiled again as she reached out to take it from him. However, as soon as her hand touched both the wand and Harry's fingers, she froze. Her eyes widened as a shower of red and gold sparks flew out of the tip of the wand. Harry looked up, his gaze locking with Ginny's. For a moment, neither moved nor blinked. Then, quickly, they both looked away.

Dropping his hand, Harry muttered, "That was odd."

To his surprise, Ginny gave a light laugh. "Very." This caused Harry to look up and smile. A rosy blush spread across the girl's cheeks, though she was smiling any hint of shyness. "Unless someone else has lost a wand, I believe that yours is lying over there, Harry."

Sure enough, it was. Harry picked it up, then moved back over to Ginny's side. "You said that you hurt your ankle? Let me see if I can do something to fix it ..."

For a moment, Ginny looked reluctant. Slowly, she lifted her school robe and motioned to the injured foot. Harry had to roll down her sock to get a good look at the ankle. Noticing the swelling and redness, he told her, "I've seen worse." He glanced up, offering her a boyish grin. Then, clearing his throat, he took on an overly serious expression as he waved his wand over her ankle a few times. This caused Ginny to laugh again. Taking the opportunity of her amusement to distract her, Harry muttered out the anti-swelling charm and a healing spell that he'd learned from one of his Quidditch books.

Ginny flexed her foot as soon as he'd finished. "Oy ... that feels a lot better." She sounded obviously impressed.

Attempting to look offended by this, Harry commented, "What? You doubted my powers?"

Brown eyes met with emerald as Ginny said in a quiet, yet firm voice, "Never ... not even for a second." Once again, both glanced away. The odd moment might have continued, except for Harry's stomach suddenly growling loudly. Ginny chuckled before stating, "Okay then ... next on our to do list would be food. I'm a bit hungry, too." She muttered something as she flicked her wand. A plate full of sandwiches and a bottle of pumpkin juice appeared between them. "Mum taught me the spells ... after what happened last summer. Hermione's shown me a few things, too."

The two students sat in silence as they ate. After awhile, Harry muttered, "Now, if there was only a loo around ..." A door suddenly appeared on the wall across from them. "What the ...?" Harry exclaimed, jumping up to his feet.

Ginny laughed, shaking her head. "I take it that was your first time making that request. Apparently, all you have to do is mention the need for a loo and one appears. It's quite strange."

"Yeah," Harry agreed as he took a step towards the door. "But is it safe?" He glanced back to find Ginny nodding her head. Cautiously, Harry turned the knob of the door, then peeked inside. Sure enough, there was a bathroom there. He looked back at Ginny again. He was worried that they might be separated if he went in ... but the call of nature was overwhelming. "I'll be right back," he finally stated as he slipped into the room.

There had been no need for him to worry. Ginny was still sitting out in the hallway when he stepped back through the door. She disappeared inside for a few minutes to freshen up. Once she was back in the hallway with Harry, Ginny grinned coyly as she closed the door behind her. Instantly, it vanished.

"Amazing," was all that Harry could say. They decided to walk, in hopes of either finding someone else or an exit from the maze. Harry tried to request a way to leave, calling out things like, "We're ready to get out of here." and "Exit, please." Nothing happened. Giving up, he looked over at Ginny as he asked, "How did you end up finding this place?"

"Well," Ginny said, looking straight ahead. "The other day, I ran into Lauren Abbot and we started talking. While we were, I saw Li Chang go by. That surprised me because I thought that his whole family was getting together for the holiday. At first, I thought, perhaps, he left something. But then I noticed that he wasn't heading for the Gryffindor Tower. So ... Lauren and I sort of ... followed him."

"Hold on! You followed Li?" Harry asked, glancing sideways at the girl. "Why?"

Ginny frowned. "I don't really know why. I just had this ... feeling ... that I should. He went down that one corridor that leads to the back entrance of the Great Hall. It looked as if he was searching for something. Lauren and I followed at a distance and watched. He stopped by a door I'd never noticed before ..."

"Yeah," Harry interrupted. "We saw it, too."

Looking up quickly at Harry, Ginny repeated, "We? Who's 'we'? I thought that you said Ron and Hermione weren't with you?"

"They weren't," Harry answered, then paused. In a low voice, he finally told her, "Malfoy had been with me."

This made Ginny completely come to a stop. She turned and faced Harry as she asked, "What were you doing with that git?" In an incredulous tone, she added, "There's no way he was helping to look for me."

"No," Harry agreed. "Crabbe's little sister, Mia, had disappeared, too." He hesitated a moment, then asked, "You haven't seen her down here, have you?" Ginny shook her head. Silently, the two began to walk again. After a few minutes, Harry said, "I'm still not clear on how you ended up in this maze ... and all alone."

"That is sort of a strange story. You see, Lauren and I had followed Li through the door ..."

"Lauren is somewhere around here, too?" Harry asked. When Ginny nodded, he gave a low sigh. "Dennis Creevey is, too."

Ginny frowned. "I'd say that it's amazing that neither of us has run into anyone else, except that this place seems to have an ability to move its walls." Harry quirked an eyebrow at her, so she went on. "As soon as Lauren and I stepped through the door into this place, the doorway vanished behind us. Li wasn't very happy that we'd followed, but ... anyway ... We must have been down here for a full day ... maybe longer ... when Li and Lauren went around a corner. I went to follow, but a wall was suddenly blocking my path. I turned around ..." She shook her head. "Another corridor that hadn't been there before was suddenly there. But Li and Lauren were gone."

"That must have been the same one that I went down," Harry stated. "Malfoy decided to go back for help, but ... I couldn't just leave until I found you...um, all of you." He peeked over at Ginny. "Did the floor all of a sudden give out on you?" Ginny nodded. "And that's when you lost your wand and hurt yourself." Again, the girl gave a nod. "So now, we've got you, me, Li, Lauren, Mia, Malfoy, and Dennis all wandering around this ... whatever this place is."

Silence fell over the two again as they continued to walk. After a bit, Ginny asked, "So, who all has been looking for us? I would have thought that Ron and Hermione would have been with you."

Harry spent the next hour telling Ginny about the search for her. He noticed that she didn't seem to happy to hear that Professor Dumbledore was away.

"If mum was at home, she'd just look at our clock to see that I was lost. Then she'd send everyone she could think of to find me. That's just the way she is."

Nodding, Harry glanced over at Ginny. He noticed that her expression had saddened and she looked tired. Coming to a stop, Harry said, "Speaking of clocks, it's got to be right around dinner time. Perhaps we should stop for a while and get something to eat."

Ginny sat down right where she'd been standing and peered up at Harry. "The only problem now is that I doubt I can get up anytime soon."

As he sat down next to her, Harry gave a shrug of his shoulders. "That's okay. We might as well stop to sleep, as well." He watched Ginny charm up more sandwiches and a large bowl of crisps. Another jug of pumpkin juice appeared, also. Soon, the two were busy eating. As they munched on the food, they made light conversation, mostly about classes and school work. It dawned on Harry that he'd really missed talking with Ginny. He wasn't sure why, but it seemed that they only got to talk when they were both lost or something.

'Wonder why that is?' Harry pondered in silence. He, of course, already knew the answer. He was just having difficulties admitting it to himself. Biting into his sandwich, Harry's mind pushed forward the issue. An image of Cho flashed in his head. Cho grabbing his hand ... stepping in between he and Ginny as they talked ... casting the younger girl narrow-eyed looks. He didn't miss those moments. To his surprise, he really didn't miss Cho. And that bothered him.

Once Harry and Ginny had eaten their fill, neither seemed to be in a hurry to clean things up. Instead, they sat side by side, leaning against one wall as they chatted comfortably. Suddenly, the lights from both of their wands faded out.

"What just happened?" Ginny asked, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"I don't know," Harry answered. He tried to recast the Lumos charm, but nothing happened. "My wand's not working. Is yours?" He could feel Ginny moving around next to him in the dark as she muttered out the charm in an irritated tone.

"Mine's not working, either." There was a pause, then she asked, "So, what should we do now?"

Although it was too dark to see, Harry shrugged. "I guess we need to stay put. Maybe we had that charm on our wands for too long or something." Ginny muttered something, but Harry didn't catch what she'd said. For a long while, neither spoke. Harry had taken to trying to check his wand by feeling for flaws in the wood. When Ginny did speak, it startled the boy.

"Harry?" Her voice was soft again, sounding almost hesitant. "Do you think that we ought to get some sleep? Since we don't know how long we'll be in the dark and all ..."

Sticking his wand into his pocket, Harry said, "That's probably a good idea, Ginny. Why don't you go ahead and lay down for a bit ..."

"Harry Potter!" Ginny scolded, making him jump again. "Don't you go all macho on me! I had plenty of rest earlier. You, however, need to get some sleep more than I do."

He wasn't sure why, but Harry felt an odd urge to chuckle. Ginny sounded quite a bit like her mother. He could almost visualize the young girl's stern expression, her hands on her hips in a defiant stance. Feeling it best not to argue, Harry finally said in a sheepish tone, "Okay then. I am a bit tired." He laid down, making sure that he wasn't too close or too far away from Ginny. Try as he might, though, he just couldn't get comfortable.

"What's the matter, Harry?" Ginny asked quietly.

"I can't find a good position to lay," the boy grumbled. Giving a loud, frustrated sigh, Harry turned over to his other side. That was no better. "This floor is stone hard."

"That's because it _is_ stone."

Harry shifted again. "Well, it's uncomfortable. I need a pillow ..."

There was a pause of silence, then Ginny said softly, "Why don't you use my lap for one, then?"

Instantly, Harry froze. He wasn't sure if he'd heard Ginny right. It had sounded like she'd just suggested that he lay his head on her lap. But she couldn't have said that.

"Go on, Harry. Let me just get comfy first." She scooted over closer to Harry. When she spoke again, Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. "Okay ... I'm all set." Silence ... and stillness. In a hesitant voice, she called out, "Harry? Did you fall asleep?"

For brief moment, Harry considered pretending to have done just that. If he was asleep, he couldn't very well answer. But then it hit him once again just how horribly uncomfortable the floor was. He mumbled something along the lines of still being awake, then slowly inched closer to Ginny. As soon as his head was resting on her leg, Harry began to relax. 'This is much better,' he thought as he began to drift off to sleep.

_ He was in a maze ... not the corridors, but a maze. It was dark and damp. The stone walls around him seemed to be slithering with something; though when he looked, it had stopped. Harry walked on. In the distance came a scream. Not the short, startled kind, but the long, drawn-out, painful type. It sounded familiar, though Harry could not place it to a person._

_Around the next corner, Harry found a nearly endless stretch. As he began to walk down it, voices called out from the shadows._

_"It's all your fault, boy!"_

_"You Failed!"_

_"You couldn't destroy him!"_

_"Why did you live? You should have died, too!"_

_"No one loves you! You deserve to die ... none of the others did!"_

_Each step became harder to take. The voices were growing louder and angrier. The words were getting more hateful. Harry tried to put his hands over his ears to shut out the voices, but it did no good. They seemed to seep into his head, pounding their ugly insults into his soul._

_"You're Wrong!" Harry tried to yell, but it came out more like a whimper. He shook his head. "Don't say that! Stop saying that!"_

_A cool breeze suddenly grazed across his forehead. It lingered for a moment, then seemed to drift through his dark hair. Harry felt himself start to relax. Amongst the hostile voices, he could just barely hear one soft whispering voice._

_"It's alright, Harry. Just rest. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you. Shhhh ... relax ..."_

Harry's eyes slowly flickered open. He'd been dreaming. A nightmare. He was still sweating, his heart pounding wildly. Then, the oddest sensation was felt as something gently stroked his messy locks of hair back from his forehead. 'Ginny?' he thought, not daring to move. He wasn't sure until her voice cut through the surrounding silence.

"There, there ... just relax, Harry."

Her hand once more slipped through his hair, causing Harry to sigh lightly. He regretted immediately having done so, for Ginny's hand suddenly stilled.

As she moved her hand away, Ginny asked nervously, "Harry? ... Are you awake?"

Just as before, Harry considered feigning sleep. This time it was much more appealing to do so. Ginny's lap was warm and comfortable. He had this overwhelming desire to snuggle up closer to her. And if he didn't answer, then she might even begin to play with his hair again.

However ... he just couldn't bring himself to deceive her. Muttering sleepily, Harry asked, "What? Is everything okay, Ginny?"

She didn't answer right away, which worried Harry. When she did, her voice was very gentle. "You were muttering and tossing in your sleep, Harry. You must have been having a nightmare."

"Yeah," Harry replied as he reluctantly sat up. "I think that I was. Can't remember, though, what about." Next to him, he heard what he was sure was Ginny yawning. Quietly, he asked, "How long was I asleep?"

Her voice sounded tired as Ginny told him, "Not sure. A couple of hours, I guess. You can lay back down and try to get some more sleep if you'd like."

"That's okay," Harry replied. "Why don't you lie down and rest." He paused as he tried to muster up the nerve to say what he was thinking. In a slightly shaky voice, he finally asked, "Would you like my lap? For a pillow, I mean."

Ginny just mumbled out something that must have been an acceptance of sorts, for Harry soon felt her head leaning down on his one thigh. He stiffened, barely breathing, as the girl shifted around until she was comfortable. Within minutes, her breathing evened out, indicating that she was asleep.

Harry remained tense and unable to move for a while as he sat there just listening to Ginny breath. It was so rhythmic, that his muscles soon began to relax and he felt himself starting to nod off. He could have easily fallen back to sleep despite his not so comfortable position.

A small whimper startled him back to full alertness. Harry grabbed his wand out of habit and muttered the Lumos charm. Nothing happened. The small sound came again. This time, Harry could tell that it was coming from Ginny. He was just about to say something to wake her when she began to mumble.

"No, Tom ... not again ..."

Harry's hand froze just above the young girl. He realized that she must have been dreaming about Tom Riddle ... Voldemort. Ginny shifted around fretfully. Her head tossed and turned against his leg as she let out another whimper. Instinctively, Harry reached out to stroke her hair as he crooned, "It's alright, Ginny. It's just a dream. He can't hurt you ..."

"... No! ... not Hermione ... Why? ... Harry ... tell Harry ..."

Her soft cries were being harmonized with Harry's words of comfort. Ginny began to tremble as her moans turned into sobs of sorrow. Harry wasn't sure what to do. The only thought that entered his mind was that she was shivering because she was cold. He, somehow, had to keep her warm.

"... I'm sorry ... Harry ..."

At this point, Harry wasn't even sure if Ginny was still asleep or awake. Not bothering with whether he'd wake her if she was asleep, he reach down and scooped Ginny up onto his lap. Then, wrapping his arms around her, he started to rock her gently. Ginny buried her head into Harry's shoulder and cried. Over time, her sobs calmed until she had fallen back into a more peaceful slumber. She was not alone. Resting against the soft red curls that framed Ginny's face, Harry slept as well. The nightmares that had haunted them earlier, now were unable to touch either teen as they slept in the safety of each other's embrace.

TBC


	28. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the series. I just like to write for fun - please do not sue me.

Chapter 27

"Harry!"

The voice seemed to drift across the fog that surrounded him. Harry didn't want the fog to lift. It was so comforting and warm.

"Harry! Wake up!"

Harry groaned. He didn't want to listen to the voice. But the fog seemed to be fading away despite his desire for it to stay. When he opened his eyes, Harry was surprised to find Neville Longbottom squatting down beside him.

"Wha …?! How'd you get here?" It was at that moment that Harry realized that he was still cradling Ginny in his arms. She had shifted around at some point so that her arms were wrapped around him as well. Blushing fiercely, Harry glanced back at Neville.

The other boy didn't seem to notice or care. "Oh good," he stated with relief. "I was afraid that you wouldn't wake. I'm not sure where Ron and Hermione got to, but I know that I couldn't have carried you both on my own."

"Wait! Hold on," Harry said, interrupting the boy. "Ron and Hermione are with you? Down here?" Neville nodded. Harry looked past him as he asked, "So where did they disappear to?"

"I don't know. One minute, we were together, and the next, this wall appeared between us. I went down another corridor and have been wandering around looking for them ever since. I nearly tripped over you and Ginny." His gaze drifted to the girl in Harry's arms as he asked, "Is she okay?"

Harry shifted slightly. "Yeah … She's just worn out. Her ankle was swollen, but I fixed it up. Still, we need to get her … all of us, really, out of here." Turning his attention to the young girl, Harry said softly, "Ginny. Time to wake up. Neville's here."

Ginny muttered something, then snuggled closer to Harry. He glanced up to find Neville watching them with an amused grin. Harry shrugged, then said louder, "Wake up, Gin. We've got to get moving." As the girl's eyes fluttered open, Harry watched her silently. Ginny blinked, trying to focus her gaze on her surroundings. When she finally managed to do so, she looked up to meet Harry's amused gaze. He smiled warmly at her. "G'morning, Gin."

"Hi," Ginny whispered back shyly. She made no move to free herself from Harry's arms, which were still wrapped around her. Instead, she just lay there contently, gazing up into Harry's green eyes. And to Harry's surprise, he didn't mind one bit. Until Neville cleared his throat loudly, that is. Ginny looked up quickly, then squealed with delight, "Neville! You found us!"

Neville looked thoroughly embarrassed as Ginny jumped up and hugged him tightly. As she let him go, she asked, "Do you know the way out of this place?"

The boy shook his head. Seeing the look of disappointment on Ginny's face, Harry stood up and said, "Ron and Hermione are down here now, too. Maybe if we start walking, we'll meet up with them." Both Neville and Ginny agreed.

As their wands seemed to be working again, Ginny whipped them up some breakfast. Harry also showed Neville how to summon the loo. They exchanged stories of what had happened to each as they walked along. Harry learned that Neville, Ron, and Hermione had not been that far behind him and Malfoy. However, his three friends never saw Draco, even though he'd turned around to head back.

Harry, Ginny, and Neville turned a corner to head down yet another corridor when there was a loud rumbling noise. Both Neville and Ginny cried out, "Not Again!" Before any of them realized what was happening, the floor under Ginny's feet began to rise up.

"It's another wall," Neville yelled from one side.

Harry, standing on the other side, looked up at Ginny with horror. The wall was building fast. Ginny would be crushed if he didn't do something fast. Pulling out his wand, Harry yelled, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Ginny immediately lifted off the wall top and Harry carefully began to lower her down to where he stood.

By the time Ginny was safely in Harry's arms, the wall had completely built itself to the ceiling. They were separated from Neville. Harry looked down at Ginny and asked, "Alright?"

She nodded, though she refused to leave his side. Her gaze flickered over his shoulder and a confused expression crossed her face. Looking over his shoulder, Harry immediately noticed what it was she was looking at.

A few feet away from them, hanging on the wall, was an antique looking mirror. It wasn't very large; around 30 centimeters by 18 centimeters. And the mirror itself seemed to be covered with a thick layer of dust. Hesitantly, Harry and Ginny approached the rare object.

When they stood before the mirror, Ginny whispered, "What do you think it is, Harry? Why's it here?"

Harry wasn't sure, so he could only shrug in reply. He hadn't realized that he had still been holding Ginny to him with one arm until she stepped away from him to touch the mirror.

"Be careful, Gin," Harry warned. Ginny glanced up at him, but said nothing. Instead, she reached out and wiped away some of the dust from the mirror itself. Nothing happened, so she continued to do so until they could see their reflection clearly.

Harry stepped up closer to both Ginny and the mirror so as to get a better look. Suddenly, their reflection began to fog. "What's it doing?" Harry muttered at roughly the same time as Ginny. Neither tried to answer for they were intently watching the swirling mist which had replaced their reflection.

Slowly, the swirling began to decrease until they could once again see an image in the ancient glass. Only, it wasn't themselves in the hallway they were seeing. It wasn't even them. Instead, they seemed to be peering through a window into a dimly lit room where four people sat. Two were men, two were women.

One of the men suddenly looked up straight at them. He pointed while saying something they could not hear. The other three turned to look at Harry and Ginny as well. They were all getting up from the table where they'd been sitting when the image faded into the swirling grey.

"Who were they?" Ginny asked softly. "I didn't recognize …" She paused as the mirror had begun to clear again.

Once more, they found themselves peering into the same dimly lit room. But instead of the four adults that were there earlier, they saw a young boy. He appeared to be roughly the same age as them, but he was dressed rather odd.

Harry reached out and knocked on the glass. The boy looked in their direction and frowned. Ginny waved to him, then mouthed slowly, 'Get help! We need your help!' The boy moved closer to them, still frowning. Something about him seemed oddly familiar to Harry, but he couldn't place where he'd seen the boy before. Just as Harry was about to mouth something to the boy, the image faded.

"Harry," Ginny said in a hushed voice. "What is this? It seems like a pensieve, but … I've never heard of one being in the form of a mirror. Do you suppose that the people that we're seeing are somewhere else in the school … or maybe some other location?"

In truth, Harry had been wondering the same thing. In just as quiet a tone, he told Ginny, "I'm not sure. I think that room is in the school. It looks familiar. I think that I've been in it. But … I've never seen any of those people around the school before."

The fog lifted within the mirror once more. "Look! It's clearing again," Ginny said, pointing at the new image. This time in the oddly familiar looking room, there stood a different boy. His back was turned to them, so they could only see the trimmed dark waves of hair on his head. Harry felt Ginny move closer to him and grab hold of his arm. Looking down at the girl, he was surprised to see how pale she suddenly was.

"What's wrong, Gin" he asked in a hushed tone. But the girl didn't answer. She just continued to stare at the mirror with a mixture of horror and anger in her brown eyes. Harry turned back to the mirror, letting out a slight gasp as he did so. The boy within the image had turned and was slowly making his way over to them. The face was one that Harry had never been able to forget. Obviously, neither had Ginny. In a near growl, Harry said, "Voldemort."

"No, Harry," Ginny said, scooting even closer to him. "That's Riddle."

She was right. It was definitely Tom Riddle Jr. there on the other side of the mirror, looking only slightly older than the last time that Harry had seen him before. Riddle locked eyes with Harry for a moment, then moved his gaze over to Ginny. The grin upon his face was lewd and despicable as he stepped closer.

Instinctively, Harry stepped in front of Ginny, blocking her from Riddle's view. Then he glared back into the mirror, straight at the dark lord's younger self. It was a smirking Riddle that slowly faded from sight, leaving Harry to see only the reflection of him holding Ginny to his chest tightly.

"It's alright now, Gin," Harry told her softly. "He's gone."

Despite being told this, Ginny didn't move. She kept her forehead pressed against Harry's chest. Worried, Harry sighed lightly and then gently stroked the girl's hair. He glanced back at their reflection, but was thinking of the look on young Riddle's face. It dawned on Harry that he'd seen the same expression before … but on Malfoy's face. Draco had grinned just the same way at Ginny that day on the train.

Without realizing it, Harry's arms tightened around Ginny in a protective manner. He recalled how Ginny had looked appalled at Draco's demeaning gaze, as if it had reminded her of someone else. "Of course," Harry muttered to himself. Riddle must have looked at Ginny much the same way when they were in the chamber of secrets before Harry had arrived. No wonder Ginny had been so upset.

A small glimmer from the mirror distracted Harry. He looked over at it to find it fogging up again. "Here we go," Harry muttered out, causing Ginny to finally look up. Neither made any move to pull away from each other, though.

The mist began to clear, revealing the same room as before. They could see a young girl lying on the couch across the room.

"Wait," Harry said slowly. He peered closer at the image, then said, "I know her. That's Trelawney when she was a girl." Harry dropped one arm away from Ginny, but kept the other firmly around her waist. This allowed Ginny to be able to take a bit closer look in the mirror as well.

"So, we are seeing into the past," Ginny said quietly. Harry just nodded in reply. So far, the girl on the couch hadn't noticed them. She seemed to be resting her eyes. Ginny went on to say, "That would mean that they saw into the future. It seems as if they can see us, so … that means that they've all seen us before." She paused, then added in a whisper, "Riddle had seen us before."

Before Harry could reply, the young Trelawney suddenly opened her eyes. With an absolutely terrified look on her face, she slowly turned her gaze towards them. For a brief moment, she just stared at both Harry and Ginny. Then, her mouth fell open and she appeared to be screaming in utter horror, though no sound came through the mirror.

Harry and Ginny didn't get to see what happened after that, for the image faded to a grey mist once more. "I think we may have frightened the old girl," Harry said dryly.

Ginny made a light snorting sound. She looked up to find Harry smiling down at her. It must have been contagious, for Ginny broke into a bit of a smile herself. "Always thought she was a bit off her rocker," she said as her eyes took on a slight twinkle. "But now, I think maybe _we_ were the ones to have first knocked her off it."

As Harry gave a chuckle at Ginny's comment, the image in the mirror was fogging up once again. Both turned their attention to it. The room was once more there, minus Trelawney. Instead, there were two people standing there. A boy and a girl.

At first glance, one might have thought that it was just Harry and Ginny's reflections. Except that Ginny and the girl only looked alike because of their long, red hair. The boy, however, looked just like Harry. Ginny pointed to the mirror, then looked up at Harry as if to say something … but then froze.

Harry was very pale. A look of shock graced his handsome face as he stared into the mirror. "Dad? Mum?" he whispered.

On the other side of the mirror, James Potter and Lily Evans seemed to be completely unaware of their audience. They were standing close together, facing each other. Suddenly, James dropped to one knee in front of Lily. He fished around in the pocket of his robes for a second, then pulled out a small box. Lily was watching him with wide eyes as he slowly opened the box for her. He must have asked her something, for she began to nod enthusiastically. James jumped back up to his feet and wrapped his arms around her tightly. They were still like that as their image began to fade away.

Harry reached out a hand to the mirror, as if to try to stop them from leaving. But that wasn't possible.

"Oh Harry," Ginny said softly.

He looked down at her and was surprised to see tears in her brown eyes. What surprised him even more was when she reached up and gently wiped away an escaping tear from his own face.

"Your mum was beautiful," she told him quietly.

"You remind me of her," Harry replied before he realized he'd even opened his mouth. Ginny blushed as she looked away. He thought of something just then. "I don't think that they even noticed us. They never knew that their son witnessed their proposal." That didn't really bother him. He was just so happy to have got to see that event, that it didn't matter to him that they hadn't seen him watching.

Another glimmer caught his eye and Harry turned to the mirror to see it swirling once more. When the mist had cleared, Harry thought that he was seeing the same scene as what they'd just seen moments earlier. Again, it was the room with only a boy and a girl in it. But, as Harry looked closer, he realized that the two students weren't his parents. Although they were standing close together and facing each other, it was clearly not his mother and father. And when the two students turned to face them, Ginny's gasp confirmed what he was thinking.

"That's us," Harry said, watching as the other Harry slowly walked towards the mirror with the other Ginny at his side. "I wonder … could this be the future? If it is, then that would mean that we'll get out of here …" He paused, noticing that the mirror image of Ginny was whispering something to his own mirror image. The other Harry smiled, then began to nod enthusiastically at both Harry and Ginny.

Then, slowly, the image faded.

"Well," Ginny said, noticeably relaxed within the half-circle of Harry's arm. "That's a relief. It looks as if we will get out of here. And we didn't look much different than we do right now, so … at least we know that it should be relatively soon."

Harry smiled lightly as he nodded, then glanced back at the mirror. "I wonder if that's all. I mean, now that we've seen ourselves, maybe it's done doing, um, whatever it is that it's supposed to do."

He glanced back down at Ginny as she shrugged. It finally hit him at that moment that he was still holding her around the waist. And Ginny was actually leaning slightly against him as she gazed over at the mirror. Suddenly, she frowned as she stated softly, "The show must not be over yet. It's starting to fog up again."

Looking up at the mirror, he saw that she was right. As he felt Ginny lean into him a bit, he subconsciously pulled her closer to him. Both students watched as the mist faded away, leaving a clear view of the small room.

This time, there was only a little girl of about seven years old standing in the middle of the room. She looked both frightened and lost.

"Who is she?" Ginny whispered.

Before Harry could even shrug, the little girl looked their way. Immediately, the look on her young face changed to one of joy. To their surprise, the child mouthed their names as she ran towards them. Suddenly though, she stopped, glanced over her shoulder, then turned back to the mirror. Again, she had a look of terror on her face. Harry heard Ginny make a small comforting noise, then watched as she placed her fingers on the cool glass. The little girl stood on tiptoes to reach up and do the same from her side. As soon as she did, a small voice filled the air.

"Harry! Ginny! They're coming! I'm scared, Ginny. What should I do?"

Ginny glanced up at Harry with wide eyes. This all seemed so unreal, but how could he not try to somehow help this child? "Tell her to hide," he started to say, then noticed that the child's gaze had shifted over to him as if she'd heard what he'd said.

Ginny, however, spoke up. "Hide, lambie! Go and hide! We'll find you."

The little girl didn't move, but simply asked, "Promise?"

Slowly nodding, Ginny urged again, "Now go! Hide!"

Harry wasn't as sure of what to do. He glanced over at Ginny, who was now looking up at him with a beseeching gaze. Finally, he said in a low voice, "Go hide. We'll find you." He broke eye contact with Ginny as they both turned back to the mirror. However, it was gone. There was only a cold stone wall there now.

A noise sounded from behind them and both turned to find the cause. The wall that had built up between them and Neville had disappeared. To their surprise, Neville was still standing there. But, he was no longer alone.

"Harry! Ginny!" Hermione cried out, her voice echoing down the corridor as she, Ron, and Neville all rushed towards Harry and Ginny. Ron had an odd look on his face, though it was blended with a look of relief.

As their friends got to them, Harry realized how close he and Ginny were standing together. Feeling a strange sense of loss, he backed away from her and let his arms drop to his sides. Seconds later, he was being crushed in one of Hermione's emotional hugs. Ron had gathered Ginny into his arms, too.

"Are you okay?" the redhead boy asked. "What happened, Ginny? You disappeared … then Harry and Malfoy vanished. And this place. What is this place?"

Harry shrugged as Ginny pulled away from Ron to give Hermione a hug. Hermione stated in a shaky voice, "We can figure all of that out later. Right now, we need to find a way out of here."

"What about that door there," Neville said, pointing to a door that no one had seen before. The five students looked at each other, then hesitantly, Harry went over to the door and opened it up. He stepped through, followed closely by Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and last of all, Neville.

"Welcome back," a voice sang out from behind them. The group turned to see Professor Dumbledore smiling at them. They were standing, once again, back in the corridor that led to the back of the Great Hall.

They were back at Hogwarts.

TBC


	29. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything from the series. I just like to write for fun - please do not sue me.

Chapter 28

Harry and his friends weren't the only ones to have returned back to the normal part of Hogwarts. Down the hall a bit, coming out of another door was Li, Lauren, Dennis, Mia, and Draco. Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Professor McGonagall escorted all of the missing students into the Great Hall.

As soon as they were all seated, the headmaster began to talk. "It appears that you all have discovered one of the many secrets of Hogwarts. The labyrinth of serendipity … the room of bestowment … or as I've come to call it, the hidden haven."

"That wasn't just a room, though," Ron stated, earning a stern look from the head of his house.

Professor Dumbledore gave a light chuckle. "Indeed it is not. It is capable of being whatever is needed. It is not a place that is easily found … nor so easily escaped from, apparently. I would like to know, who of you discovered the entrance first?"

All of the students looked around until they were either looking at Ginny, Lauren, or Li. "I found it first, sir," Li stated in a low tone. The old professor made an "ahhing" sound as he nodded. Li continued to speak. "My grandfather told me…" He paused as if unsure if he should go on. Finally, he said, "I was looking for something that my grandfather mentioned was here. However, I was not able to find it."

"I see," Professor Dumbledore said as he gazed at the boy with a thoughtful expression on his face. "So, Mr. Chang, you only stumbled upon the entrance?" When Li nodded as he looked downward. "I see," Professor Dumbledore said again, then asked a bit louder, "And who would have been next?"

Ginny and Lauren looked at each other before the older girl said, "That would be me and Ginny. We saw Li go in through the door and, um, followed."

Again, Harry wondered why Ginny had been following Li. He thought that Professor Dumbledore would ask that very question. But, he did not.

Instead, Professor Dumbledore asked, "And did anyone else follow Mr. Chang or perhaps follow Miss Abbott and Miss Weasley?"

Mia's hand slowly raised. In one of the softest voices that Harry had ever heard, the young girl said, "I did, sir. I saw Li go down towards the dungeons. Then the two girls followed. It seemed odd, so I kept watch over them. I had just been down that same corridor only five minutes earlier and the door was not there then. So, when I saw them go through it later, I followed."

Ginny spoke up then. "We never knew that she was behind us. At one point, I got separated from Li and Lauren." She paused, but Professor Dumbledore motioned for her to continue. "I later fell down through this shaft in the floor and lost my wand. Harry found it and then found me." She looked over at Harry and smiled softly. Unable to help himself, Harry returned her smile with a warm one of his own.

"And how exactly did you find Ginny, Harry?" Professor Dumbledore asked as he looked over at Harry closely. Suddenly the old man's eyes shifted over to peer at Ginny before swinging back towards Harry again. Something must have clicked in his mind, for the headmaster once again let out a quiet, "Ahhh, yes."

Harry explained that he and Malfoy had been searching for Ginny and Mia. They had stumbled upon the entrance to the lost corridors, then parted ways in their search. "I fell down the same trap door that Ginny had. We had to wait for a bit until we could look for an exit because both of our wands stopped working at one point."

"So did ours," Ron said, perking up a tad. "Hermione and I were together, then all of a sudden … Poof … no magic. That's when we ran into Neville … literally." Neville nodded his head. Ron went on, "Later, though, we lost Neville … and suddenly we had our magic back."

"That was when I found Harry and Ginny. They were sleeping," Neville noted. Both Harry and Ginny blushed as they glanced at each other. "That wasn't all that long ago, really. Then this wall came up …"

Professor Dumbledore interrupted the boy. "I believe I have a fair idea of what happened. I would like each of you to write down what happened from your own point of view and then give that information to me. But first, I believe that you all should get some proper rest and food. The house elves will bring you all some trays and then off to bed with you."

Everyone began to get up and head out of the Great Hall. Harry followed, glad that Ginny seemed to be sticking near him.

"Harry?" a voice rang out behind him. He turned to find Professor Dumbledore smiling at him. "May I have a word with you … and Miss Weasley?" Both Ron and Hermione stopped as well, but the professor said, "Just these two. They will join you shortly." With looks of dismay and curiosity, Ron and Hermione turned and left the hall.

As soon as the three were alone, Professor Dumbledore motioned for Harry and Ginny to follow him. "Did you both know that I went to school here as a lad?" he asked, though in a way that seemed to not be seeking an answer. "I, too, was in Gryffindor. So many amazing and wonderful memories I have about my youth here at Hogwarts. One such memory was of this one day when my headmaster asked me to wait in the anti chamber to discuss a project I'd been working on."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, both holding their breath slightly as they listened to their headmaster's tale.

"I was just about your age, Mr. Potter, when I saw the most curious thing. A mirror that hangs in the anti chamber did something odd. It clouded over, then, instead of my reflection or that of the room, I saw two faces."

They'd reached the platform where the teachers ate and Professor Dumbledore lead them up onto it. "One face was that of a boy with dark, unruly hair. He wore glasses and looked a bit shocked himself. The other face belonged to a young girl … with red hair. I remember that she waved to me." He looked back at Harry and Ginny and chuckled.

"So, that was you," Harry said slowly. "The young boy … I thought you looked familiar. We saw you right after we saw two men and two women in the room. The mirror kept clouding, then clearing to show different people." He paused for a moment, then added, "I even saw my mum and dad. He was proposing to her."

Professor Dumbledore smiled. "Ah, yes … I remember that day, too. I had always thought that your parents, Harry, were the two faces that I saw in the mirror. At least, until today. Today, when I looked at the two of you, I realized that it was actually you that I'd seen. You do look so very much like your father, Harry. And Miss Weasley, you could easily be mistaken for Miss Evans."

They'd reached a door that stood off to the side of the teacher's platform. Professor Dumbledore laid his hand upon the knob as he looked gravely at Harry and Ginny. "As I recall, you both asked for help. Just as you asked before, never be afraid to ask again. I vowed that day so long ago to do whatever was necessary to assist you. And I plan to still do so even today." Giving a slight push on the door, the older man opened the door. With a small nod, he left the two students to enter on their own.

Harry looked at Ginny, who just shrugged a bit. "We might as well go in, Harry. I think that's what Professor Dumbledore wanted." Harry nodded. The two walked into the room together. Looking around, they could see that it was just as they'd seen through the mirror. "It's the same room, isn't it Harry?"

"Yeah," Harry answered somewhat awed. "It sure looks like it." They moved further into the room. Suddenly, Harry stopped and stared down at the floor in front of him. Ginny came over and stood just before him, eyeing him with both concern and curiosity. "This is where they stood. My mum and dad … when he asked her to marry him."

"Oh Harry," Ginny said reaching out a hand to comfort him. Harry took hold of it and grasped it tightly. What appeared to be a movement to his right caught his eye and he looked over. Ginny must have followed suit, for he felt her move a step closer to him.

There, hanging on the wall opposite of them, was a duplicate copy of the mirror that they'd seen in the hidden haven. Only, at present, the mirror was not showing any reflection, but was showing Harry and Ginny. It was them from hours earlier. Harry took a step towards the mirror. Ginny moved along beside him as well. His past self appeared to be speaking.

Ginny suddenly clutched Harry's arm with her free hand. Excitedly, she whispered, "You just asked me if I thought we were seeing the future, which would mean that we'd got out. Don't you see … we can let ourselves know that it'll all be okay soon."

Harry smiled down at her, then looked over at the mirror. He nodded his head quickly, noticing that the image was misting over. Soon enough, it was gone completely and replaced with the normal reflection of the room. Sighing, Harry stated, "Well, that was an experience." He glanced down at Ginny to find that they were still firmly holding hands.

She looked as if she were going to say something when the sound of the room's door opening interrupted. Both looked over to see Cho come racing into the room. Immediately, Ginny pulled her hand from Harry's. The Ravenclaw girl rushed over and threw her arms around Harry's neck. "Harry! … You're okay! When I'd heard that you'd disappeared too, I was just frantic. My parents wouldn't let me come back until they heard that you all were back safe."

Harry pulled back from the dark haired girl. He felt somewhat uncomfortable with this sort of display of affection … especially in front of Ginny. For the briefest of moments, he wondered why that was. Glancing apologetically at the youngest Weasley, Harry found her not even looking at him. Instead, Ginny appeared to be looking at Cho with an odd expression of confusion and suspicion.

Cho suddenly pulled at Harry to drag him out of the room. He glanced back again towards Ginny, finally catching her eye. With a regretful smile, he mouthed, 'Let's talk later.' Ginny smiled softly as she nodded. Then Harry lost sight of her as he and Cho left the small room.

Unfortunately, Harry never did get the chance to talk to Ginny after that, though. School got back into session and he was busier than ever with his O.W.L.S. Cho took up whatever time was left, it seemed. But despite spending more time together, Harry found that he wasn't as happy as he once thought he was.

The Slytherin game against Hufflepuff finally came and it was a contest to remember. Everyone knew that if Slytherin won this game and Hufflepuff went on to beat Gryffindor in the last game, then there would be a three way tie for the Quidditch cup. However, Slytherin lost 20 to 200. Hufflepuff now had a real chance at winning the Quidditch cup. All they had to do was beat Gryffindor.

Another week and a half had gone by and the fifth years were in the midst of their O.W.L.S. testing when Professor Dumbledore made an announcement.

"Students! It has come to my attention that we've gone far too long without having a Hogsmeade visit. Therefore, I am happy to inform you that this upcoming weekend, we will be allowing third years and up to go into town during the day."

This was met with much applause and cheers. Cho, whom Harry was presently sitting next to, looked almost too excited. "Harry!" she exclaimed as she grabbed his arm. "This will be perfect! We can go into town and shop a bit, then have a nice private picnic on the hillside …"

"I don't think Professor Dumbledore will allow that," Harry said, earning himself a frown from the pretty Ravenclaw girl. He went on just the same to say, "Besides, I'd like us to spend this trip with my friends." He felt an urge to laugh when he saw Cho's mouth drop open, but he didn't. Instead, he got up from the table and began to walk towards the Gryffindor table. Spotting his best friends, he headed in their direction.

Just as he made it over to them, though, Cho's voice sounded from behind. "No hold on!" Harry turned to face her. "I want to spend time alone … not surrounded by all of your followers." Harry was a bit surprised by the tone of disgust in the girl's voice. She gave him a stern look as she said, "I think you need to decide which is more important to you … me or your friends." With that said, Cho whirled around and left the Great Hall.

Harry sat down next to Ron, ignoring the snide comments and catcalls that were flying across the room at him. Ron raised an eyebrow at him as he asked, "What's got her knickers in a knot?"

Not really sure, Harry just shrugged. All he knew was that things had changed between him and Cho. He didn't know how to explain it. It was almost as if he'd woken up in some way and was able to see things more clearly. "I'm thinking of telling her that … well … that it's not working out," he told Ron. He noticed that Hermione, who was across the table, perked up at this information. "I just don't know how to tell her. I really don't want to hurt her."

Ron gave his friend a long look. Harry got the feeling that the boy was debating with himself on something. Finally, Ron said, "I think you should just tell her what you said to us." He paused, then asked, "Is it really not working out?"

Harry nodded without hesitation. "It just doesn't … feel right. I mean, we've been supposedly 'together' since last fall, but I don't feel at all close to her. When we talk, it's all so superficial. I want something more than that. I want to be with someone who I can tell anything to and who will do the same with me." Immediately, an image of Ginny jumped into his head. From the suspicious look on Ron's face, Harry wondered if the boy knew what he was thinking.

"Well," Hermione said, giving Harry reason to believe that she, too, was aware of Harry's new thoughts. "I think Ron is right. Just be honest with her. Some girls prefer to be honestly spoken to." Harry nodded. Glancing at Ron again, he was surprised to see the boy smiling. Apparently, so was Hermione, for she asked, "What are _you_ grinning at, Ronald?"

His grin widened. "You." Harry noted that Hermione's face went bright red. Ron went on to say, "Did you hear that, Harry? Hermione Granger said that I was right. I never thought that I'd live to see the day."

Harry chuckled softly as Hermione, with a loud huff, got up from the table and left. Ron's face turned to a more serious expression then as he said, "I am surprised that it didn't work out for you and Cho."

Shrugging again, Harry said, "It just wasn't meant to be." He paused, glancing around to make sure that no one else was listening. Then in a hushed tone, he told Ron, "I mean, it's been months that we've been dating and we haven't even kissed yet."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed, earning a number of stares or glares from those still in the Great Hall. He lowered his voice as he asked, "Do you mean to tell me that all those times you two were alone, you never … not even once?" Harry shook his head. Ron whispered, "Bloody hell. And I thought I was pathetic." Harry frowned at his best friend. "Well, at least I have an excuse. I don't have a girlfriend. But you … didn't you ever make a move?"

"Once," Harry answered. "Then the garden was full of dementors and the moment was ruined. Since then, there just never seemed to be an opportunity. It's … well … it's almost as if Cho doesn't want to. So, I've never pushed her."

Ron looked at him sympathetically. Harry stood up, feeling worse than he had before joining his friends. "I think that I need to think this through," he said, then slowly walked out of the Great Hall.

TBC


	30. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the series. I only write for the fun and enjoyment of it, not for profit. Please don't sue me.

Chapter 29

The week crept by painfully slow due to the exams. But never the less, the weekend did finally arrive. On that mid-April Saturday morning, Harry went down to breakfast as usual. And, as usual, Cho intercepted him before he could join his friends. In a cheerier than normal voice, the Ravenclaw girl said, "I've got us all packed and ready to go. Just grab some toast for now, Harry, and then we can be off."

Harry couldn't help but notice that everyone around them seemed to pause in their conversations to listen in. Ignoring this as best as he could, Harry said, "Look Cho, I told you before that I want to spend some time in Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione. We wanted to celebrate getting through the O.W.L.S. in one piece."

From the table, Ron joked, "Speak for yourself, mate. I just want to drown my sorrows in a Butterbeer or two and try to prepare myself for the howler my mum is sure to send me when I get my scores back."

Hermione tutted him. "I'm sure that you didn't do that bad, Ron. Though, if you would have studied more…" Ron made an exasperated face, causing Harry to chuckle. Hermione continued, "Besides, I didn't think the tests were so bad. I rather enjoyed them." Ron rolled his eyes at this.

Still laughing lightly at his two friends, Harry turned back to Cho. The smile quickly faded as he saw the look on her face. She seemed to be watching Ron and Hermione with a sort of superior look of disgust. She then glanced at Harry. In a pouting tone, she said, "Fine. Eat breakfast with them, then. We'll leave for Hogsmeade in twenty minutes. I'll meet you by the front entrance. Don't be late!"

Cho walked off, not giving Harry a chance to even respond. When he turned around, it was to find the twins sitting there laughing at him. "Boy does she have you trained, Harry. Has she taught you to roll over or fetch yet?"

"Ha, ha," Harry said, glaring at the two boys.

When he sat down next to Ron, his friend said, "I take it that you and Cho haven't had the _talk_ yet."

"Shh!" Harry glanced around nervously, hoping that the twins hadn't overheard that. They were too busy, however, trying to get Collin Creevy to eat a suspicious looking cream puff. Looking back at Ron, Harry said, "No. I haven't talked to Cho. I was figuring that I would later today … after a couple of butterbeers."

From across the table, Hermione rolled her eyes. "Boys," she muttered with a shake of her head. "Look at what all you've faced and this is what scares you? Honestly."

"What scares them?"

Harry looked over to see Ginny sliding into the seat next to Hermione. Suddenly, he felt overly anxious. In a bit higher than normal voice, he blurted out, "Nothing! Nothing at all! We … er … we were just talking about … um …" Feeling a bit desperate, he looked at Ron pleadingly.

"Scoring!" Ron stated, a bit too loudly. Harry's expression turned to one of horror, while Ginny's took on a mixture of amusement and embarrassment.

Hermione just rolled her eyes again as she muttered, "Honestly."

Ron quickly clarified, "… on our O.W.L.S., I mean. We were discussing how we were … are scared of having done poorly."

Harry blinked at Ron, then looked over at Ginny to see if she was buying Ron's answer. She didn't look like she was, though. Harry opened his mouth, though he wasn't sure what he was planning to say. He never found out because Ginny held up her hand to stop him.

"Look, never mind. I know you guys have your secrets. That's fine. Just don't degrade me by trying to feed me some lame story to make me go away. All you have to do is say so and I'll leave and mind my own business." That said, Ginny nabbed a piece of toast and left. Collin jumped up, as well, quickly following after her.

Harry groaned, "Great. This day is shaping up to be a good one. And it's probably just going to get worse." He pointedly ignored the inquisitive exchange between Ron and Hermione as he got up to go after Ginny. "I'll meet you guys later at the Three Broomsticks."

As he headed out of the Great Hall, he wondered to himself why he'd felt so uneasy about telling Ginny that he was going to end things with Cho. It hit him that it really mattered what Ginny thought. And maybe she'd think he was an absolute prat for dumping Cho … especially since it was his fault that Cho wasn't able to be with Cedric. He owed it to Cedric to make Cho happy … didn't he?

But then he remembered how Ginny had told him that it wasn't his fault. And did he really make Cho all that happy? When he thought back over the past months, he realized that neither he nor Cho were all that happy together.

Glancing up the stairs, Harry noticed Ginny talking to Collin. She looked down at him and their eyes met. Now, more than ever, Harry needed to know what Ginny would think of him breaking things off with Cho. He took a step forward to go join her and Collin, but a firm hand on his arm stopped him. He looked down to find Cho frowning at him.

"It's time to go, Harry," she said in a soft voice.

A feeling of déjà vu ran through him, but Harry shook it off. He knew she was right. With a small sigh, he started off to the front door. Not able to stop himself, he glanced back just once, long enough to see Ginny turn away from him and walk off with Collin and Li Chang.

To his dismay, Harry ended up spending the morning going from dress shop to beauty shop to book shop and so on. Cho didn't say much to him, which made him wonder if she knew what was coming. She seemed overly fidgety and kept glancing at her watch.

Shortly before noon, Harry found himself burdened with a variety of bundles. Cho walked ahead of him, leading the way out of town. She swung the picnic basket that the house elves had packed for them at her side in a carefree manner. Harry was surprised that she hadn't made him carry the basket along with the rest of the packages he was trying not to drop. But, Cho had insisted that she could handle carrying the wooden box.

Looking at the basket made Harry think of Ginny again and of the picnic that they'd had in the library. Remembering how they'd stuffed their faces while trying to not let Madame Pinch see brought a smile to Harry's face.

"Harry! Cho's sharp voice broke Harry out of his reverie. "I said that we're here. What are you grinning at, anyway?" She set the basket down on the ground, then turned to eye Harry with scrutiny.

Sighing, Harry set the packages down near the basket. "Nothing," he replied, the happy feeling that he'd had a moment before having left him. "Just enjoying the day."

Cho gave him a withering look, but didn't comment. Instead, she glanced at her watch.

"What time is it?" Harry asked, wondering if they were on some sort of time schedule.

Looking up at him sharply, Cho told him, "It's almost noon … why?" When Harry shrugged, she turned her gaze back to the watch again.

Harry took a moment to look around. They were definitely in a secluded area. Though they were only slightly out of town, it wasn't possible to see anything of the town except some of the taller rooftops. And the road leading down to where they were, of course. Harry wasn't really sure whether they were still within the wards or not.

As Cho busied herself pulling various items, including a blanket to sit on, out of the basket, Harry continued to gaze around at the countryside. When he looked back in the direction of the town, he thought he saw two people walking their way. 'Doesn't look like we'll be getting much privacy,' he thought silently to himself. Glancing over at Cho, Harry figured that he might as well try to get that _talk_ in while they were still alone.

Cho was staring at her watch again. "Cho?" Harry said, trying to get her attention. She held up a finger, but Harry went on anyway. "Look, we need to talk, Cho. I've got something to tell you …" Suddenly, Cho's body seemed to relax as she finally looked up from her watch.

"What is it, Harry?"

Harry found himself to be momentarily dumbfounded. He had no idea how to tell her what he was feeling. He watched as she stoop up and glanced around at the ground. Looking back up at Harry, Cho said, "Well? What is it that you wanted to tell me? Why don't you spread out the blanket while you tell me whatever it is that you wanted to say."

For a moment, Harry just stood there. Then giving a light sigh, he started over to where the blanket was folded up. Just as he reached down to grab it, he heard his name being called in the distance.

"Harry! Harry! Wait, Harry!"

Looking in the direction that the call was coming from, he saw Ginny and Collin racing towards them. His hand froze, then slowly he straightened back up.

"Harry," Cho said from behind him now. "You better get that blanket spread out. We've got to get this food eaten before it gets too warm."

Harry noticed there was a hint of fear in the girl's tone. But before he could even look back at her, Ginny began to call to him again. "I'll be right back," Harry stated.

"NO!" Cho lunged forward, grabbing onto Harry's arm to stop him from leaving. As he peered down at her with surprise, the girl said, "Stay here, Harry. I … I'm sure they'll be here soon. Then … then they can join us!" Narrowing his emerald eyes at the Ravenclaw girl, Harry slowly nodded. Cho grinned up at him. "Good! Now … let's get that blanket spread out so …"

"Harry!" Ginny had arrived, running straight up to Harry. Ignoring Cho, the young girl grabbed onto Harry's free hand. She was panting heavily from having raced all the way from town. "Got … to … warn … you …"

"Warn me?!" Harry exclaimed, making no effort to let go of Ginny's hand.

From next to him, Cho said in a more demanding tone, "Ginny can tell you later. Right now you need to help with the blanket … that way she can sit down and rest a moment." She'd let go of Harry's arm and bent down towards the blanket. Her hand paused hesitantly over the soft material before she quickly snatched it up. When she stood, she almost appeared to be relieved. Turning to Harry, she held it out towards him.

Collin, who'd just arrived, stepped in between Harry and the blanket. He reached out and took hold of one side of it as he said, "I'll give you a hand with that, Cho."

To all of their surprise, Cho screeched out, "NO!" As they all looked at her questioningly, she said in a slightly calmer tone, "I'd like Harry to help me with it …"

Harry shook his head at Cho's strange behavior, but still started to step forward towards the girl. It startled him when Ginny's grip on his hand suddenly tightened. He glanced down at her to find Ginny looking up at him with an imploring expression on her face.

"Harry … wait," Ginny breathed out. "It's dangerous … out past the wards …"

"We're not that far past the wards," Cho said to Ginny, nearly glaring at the younger girl. "Come on, Harry …"

Collin, once again, stated, "Really, Cho. It's no problem for me to help you …"

Harry noticed out of the corner of his eye that Collin was now gripping tightly one part of the folded blanket. Cho growled some sort of reply as she tried to yank the blanket away from the younger boy, but Collin held firm to it. Beginning to get irritated with Cho, Harry said, "Hold on, Cho … let Ginny talk, then I'll help you with the blanket."

Cho didn't answer, but tried again to get the blanket away from Collin. Sighing with frustration, Harry reached out with his free hand as he stated, "Stop that, you two!"

The second that his hand touched the soft material of the blanket, he felt it. That strong, wrenching pull on the navel. As the world began to spin around him, he was dimly around of Collin and Cho's startled cries and the warmth of Ginny's hand clutching to his.

Then it stopped, throwing them all to the ground. Harry's eyes had closed on impact and now he wasn't sure that he wanted to open them. He heard Collin ask, "Where are we?" at the same moment that Ginny gasped beside him with, "No … not this place." Unable to hide from it, Harry opened his eyes … and groaned.

TBC


	31. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the series. I only write for the fun and enjoyment of it, not for profit. Please don't sue me.

Chapter 30

The first thing Harry saw from the ground on which he was sprawled out was the marble statue of an angel … one wing broken off.

"Harry," as soft voice said from right next to him. He looked over to see Ginny lying nearby. A few feet away lay Cho and Collin. In a whisper, Ginny said, "I know this place. I've had nightmares about it."

"So have I," Harry replied quietly as he carefully got to his feet. Reaching down, he helped Ginny to stand. Then, as he pulled out his wand, he called softly over to the other two with them. "Cho? Collin? You okay?"

Collin groaned, but nodded.

"Best get your wand out," Harry told the boy. As Collin dug into his pocket for his wand, Harry looked over at Cho to call to her again. The girl slowly pulled herself up so that she was squatting down. Harry couldn't see her face due to her long, dark hair, but he did notice that her wand was in her hand. "Now listen. We've got to be on guard."

Cho finally managed to get to her feet. Her gaze was cast downward as the wand in her hand trembled slightly. Harry wanted to say something to reassure her, but no words could do the impossible.

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry's wand suddenly flew out of his hand.

"Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus!"

With a look of horror, Harry watched Ginny's wand fly off, then Collin's. Straight into Cho's outstretched hand. Turning to Cho, he asked in a confused tone, "Cho? What are you doing? We need those. Voldemort could be around here …"

"I'm sure that he is," Cho said calmly. "At least, that's what I was told." As Harry gaped at her, Cho slowly grinned. "Oh yes, Harry," she said coyly. "I brought you here." She looked down at the three wands in her hand before she pocketed them. "Of course, you were the only one that was supposed to be here. But you always have had the knack of dragging other people into your problems. I'm sure as soon as He gets here, that the rest of us will be sent back to Hogsmeade. And then, You-Know-Who can deal with you."

Harry shook his head. This couldn't be happening. He looked around again at the cemetery they all now stood in. It hadn't been even a year since he stood in the same spot with Cedric … and now he was here again. Led by Cho. Reality slowly began to sink in and Harry's eyes widened as he glanced over at Collin and Ginny. Voldemort hadn't let Cedric, a pureblood wizard, live … he would never allow Collin, a muggleborn, or Ginny, the daughter of a muggle supporter, to leave here alive.

Ginny's brown eyes met Harry's emerald gaze and she slowly nodded. Harry knew at once that she understood. In a soft voice, she told him, "It's okay, Harry. We'll face him together."

A longing to reach out, to pull Ginny to him as if he could hide or somehow protect her from the danger that lay ahead began to fill Harry. But he knew that he couldn't do that. Instead, he gave her hand a light squeeze.

"Aw, isn't that touching?" Cho said sarcastically as she glared at them. "Did you finally wake up, Potter, and see what's been right in front of you all along? Well, good! You'll know how I felt, finding my true love only to have him unfairly ripped away from me … all because of You!"

"It wasn't Harry's fault, Cho, and you know it," Ginny said, her voice radiating her anger. "Cedric would have died even if Harry hadn't taken the cup with him."

"What do you know about it, Ginny? You didn't know Cedric like I did. He should have won the cup. You-Know-Who wouldn't have harmed him, except that he was with Harry. Harry should have never touched the cup … It was Cedric's!"

Ginny began to open her mouth to speak, but Harry beat her to it. "She's right," he said in a hushed tone. Ginny looked up at him with a sympathetic gaze. Harry just went on to say, "I'd got by the Sphinx. The cup was just up ahead. I could see it. Then Cedric suddenly was there ahead of me. He started running towards the cup and … I knew he'd make it first when … the spider attacked. I attacked it, so it came after me. Then Cedric tried to attack it. It wasn't until we attacked together that we defeated it."

Harry glanced around at the three. Collin was standing there, staring at him. Cho was still glaring. When he looked down at Ginny, he noticed that she had tears in her eyes. In a dazed tone, he continued, "I got hurt. Cedric was closest to the cup. He should have taken it. It was rightfully his. But … he was too noble … too kind-hearted. He felt I should have it just because I'd helped him. So, we took it together. And because of that, he died." Looking back at Cho, he saw that she was still glaring at him, though now there were tears streaming down her face.

"Am I interrupting?"

The voice was high-pitched and cold. Harry's scar on his forehead suddenly began to throb painfully. Looking over Cho's shoulder, he watched as a large, cloaked figure immerged from the shadows.

"Ahh! We meet yet again, Harry Potter. And once more, you've brought along guests."

Instinctively, Harry pulled Ginny behind him as he glared at the dark lord. "Your fight is with me, Voldemort. Not with them," Harry said firmly. "Send them back, then I will duel with you once and for all."

The dark lord let out an eerie laugh as the forms of several Death Eaters gathered by his side. "You will fight me to the death, Harry Potter, no matter who is here to watch." In a more off-handed tone, Voldemort added, "But I will let your guests live for now. They might come in handy later. That was the mistake I made the last time … killing off your friend too quickly."

"What?!" Cho exclaimed, whirling around to face the dark lord. "You said that Cedric was killed during the fight … that Harry had pushed him into the curse to save himself!"

Voldemort merely pushed Cho aside, ignoring the girl's ranting. From where Harry stood, he could see Cho muttering to herself in shock. "You tricked her," Harry said to Voldemort. "Told her that I'd got Cedric killed so she would help you." As Voldemort chuckled deeply, Harry turned his attention towards Cho. "He lied to you, Cho. It was when your family was attacked during the summer, wasn't it?" Cho slowly nodded. "And you've been trying all year to lure me away."

"Yes," Cho replied, her voice giving away how broken she felt. "The Hogsmeade trips … but you wouldn't leave the wards. And on Valentine's …"

"The dementors?" Harry stated with surprise. "That was you? But how?" Before the girl could answer, Harry did so for her. "The Vortex stones. You gave them to Voldemort. It allowed the dementors to transport in." Harry looked at the girl with a heart-breaking expression as he asked, "Do you really hate me that much?" Cho just looked away.

"As touching as this all is, it is time to get down to business," Voldemort said, taking a step towards Harry. Ginny had moved out from behind the boy before he could stop her, though Harry still had a firm hold of her hand. Looking down at the petite redhead, Voldemort said, "If you would step aside, child."

"No!"

Voldemort moved his dark gaze from Harry and focused on the youngest Weasley. He slowly grinned at her, seeming to be highly amused at her behavior. Harry worried that the dark lord might attack her, so he began to pull his hand away. As soon as it was free, the pain in his scar began to burn uncontrollably.

Ginny started to reach out to Harry as he dropped to his knees. Voldemort, however, whipped his wand at her and she flew backwards a few feet.

"Ginny!" Harry cried out, trying to move towards her, despite the pain he was in. Once more, Voldemort flicked his wand, only this time sending an intense scorching pain through Harry's entire body. Writhing in agony, Harry collapsed onto the ground.

From there, Harry heard Ginny cry out, "Stop it, Riddle!" Almost immediately, the pain ceased. Harry looked up to see Voldemort turn towards Ginny as he whispered in a hoarse tone.

"What did you just call me?"

To Harry's surprise, Ginny walked up to the dark lord with her head held high. "I called you Riddle. That is your name, after all. Thomas Marvolo Riddle, Jr."

The dark lord looked down at Ginny with amusement. "And just how did a little one like you learn about that?" Before Ginny could answer, a thin man scuttled over from the Death Eaters to mutter something to Voldemort. The dark lord's expression seemed to become even more amused as he said, "So, you are the child with whom my diary found use of. Through you, the chamber of secrets was reopened." Though Harry couldn't see Ginny's face, he could see the why Voldemort's grin had turned to a cool leer. "Well, my dear, I must say that it's an honor to meet you." He flickered a glance at the man next to him, saying, "Pettigrew, you never told me that my diary had such a lovely assistant. Tell me, child … did you enjoy setting my pet loose on all those mudbloods?"

As Ginny turned her face away, Harry was finally able to see her expression. He hated to see the absolute look of disgust on her face. Then, to Harry's horror, Voldemort raised his hand up and lightly touched Ginny's cheek with his fingers. Something snapped in Harry at that second and he jumped back up to his feet.

"Don't Touch Her!" he bellowed as he charged towards Voldemort. The dark lord flicked his wand at the boy, sending another Cruciatus curse his way. But Harry was so furious that he barely flinched. The dark lord sent another, this time hitting Harry hard. It only stopped the boy from moving forward. So, Voldemort hit him again. Just as Harry fell to his knees, Ginny grabbed the dark lord's arm as she yelled for him to stop.

Voldemort gave an evil laugh, still Ginny didn't back down or let go of his arm. "Stop it, Riddle! Stop it Right Now!"

"No, child," the dark lord said, pulling his arm away from the girl. "I am no longer this Riddle that you speak of. I am Lord Voldemort … Riddle is no more!"

Ginny let out a sharp laugh, catching the dark lord's attention. "You're right," she said. Though Harry was still in pain, he managed to look up at her with concern. She went on, her chin lifted up in defiance. "You're no Riddle … You're a Joke! A nasty, no good, pathetic, little Joke!"

Suddenly, the pain ebbed away from Harry. Knowing that the curse was off him, he quickly rose up to his feet. In horror, Harry watched as Voldemort turned his wand on Ginny. The young Weasley didn't move, but stared back at the dark lord stubbornly.

"Imperio!"

Voldemort laughed as soon as the curse left his lips. His laughter continued as a dazed expression slipped over Ginny's face. "Now, little one, you can enjoy once more the thrill of hurting a mud blood." He snatched the wand away from Pettigrew and handed it to Ginny. Pointing at Harry, the dark lord commanded, "Hurt him! Use the Cruciatus!"

Harry looked at Ginny, preparing himself for the pain. She stood looking blankly at him, the wand clutched in her hand was raised to his chest. Then, just briefly, Harry thought he saw something flicker within her gaze. He blinked, thinking that he might have just imagined it. However, a second later, he saw it again. Determination … anger … courage …

"No," Ginny snarled as she made herself lower the wand.

Voldemort looked down at her with surprise. "Well, well … another fighter. That is good, Miss Weasley. You'll need that to survive what I'm planning for you." He reached out his hand again to take back the wand, however, Ginny jumped away from him. Clutching the wood firmly, she pointed it at the dark lord. Giving another laugh, Voldemort flicked his own wand at the girl and, once more, Ginny was sent soaring backwards. Another flick and Harry heard the worst sound in his entire life.

Ginny's screams of pain.

She lay on the ground, curled up, shaking with pain from the curse that Voldemort had just hit her with. Instinctively, Harry moved towards her, wanting to block the curse and just to somehow comfort her. At the same moment, he saw out of the corner of his eye, Collin slam into Voldemort.

The dark lord didn't budge. He did take the curse off of Ginny as he slowly peered down at the young boy sprawled out at his feet. For a moment, he just stared at the child. Then slowly, Voldemort looked over to where Harry was now huddled with Ginny. The grin on his crude face became wider. Harry knew at once what the dark lord was thinking. In desperation, Harry screamed out, "NO!" just as the dark lord flicked his wand at Collin and muttered, "Avada Kedavra!"

A green flash soared around the boy, then disappeared. Collin laid there completely still, no longer alive. Three voices blended in horror and agony as Harry, Ginny, and Cho all cried out, "NO!"

Beside him, Harry felt Ginny begin to shake violently as her sobs filled the air. Suddenly, Cho moved in between them and Voldemort.

"You swore to me that no one would get hurt! You only wanted Harry … no one else!" As the dark lord laughed, Cho growled out, "You lied about that. You lied about how Cedric died. I suppose that you are lying about not ever hurting any of my family if I helped you." Again, Voldemort's laughter was the girl's only answer.

With a howl of anger, Cho reached out and snatched away Voldemort's wand. She hurled it into a patch of bushes as he screamed madly. Then, turning quickly, she raced towards Harry and Ginny.

"Get Her! Retrieve My Wand!" Voldemort hollered, then grabbed for a nearby death eater's wand as he snapped, "Give me That!"

Before he could point it at them, Cho called out to Harry and Ginny, "Come on! We've got to get out of here!" She threw down something at their feet and a large blue light appeared. Pulling Ginny with him, Harry flung the two of them into the light right behind Cho.

It was like riding a large wave of water. Somehow, though Harry wasn't sure how, he'd managed to keep Ginny closely up against him. He felt her arms wrap around his waist as they slid through the cool mist. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the light vanished and they stumbled out into a meadow.

"Where are we?" Harry asked Cho as he helped Ginny to her feet.

Cho was staring straight ahead of them to a wooded area. "My grandfather's summer cottage. He made sure that we all had a stone to get here with us … in case of an emergency." Looking away from the line of trees, Cho dug into her pocket and pulled out three wands. Tears immediately began to pour down her face as she looked over at Harry and Ginny. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I let him trick me. I wanted to blame someone and I let him convince me it was your fault, Harry. I let everyone down … I let … Cedric down."

A cool breeze blew lightly around them as a gentle voice said, "No, Cho … you didn't let me down." Slowly, a hazy type of cloud began to form near Cho. As the three watched, it began to take the shape of a tall boy.

"Cedric?" Cho whispered, staring at him with wide eyes. "How?"

"I never left you, Cho," the ghostly form of Cedric told her in a soft, echoing voice. "Our love is too strong … not even death can break it."

Sobbing lightly, Cho said, "Then you saw what I did. You saw me make a deal with Him. You saw me s-seduce Harry … and cast those nightmare curses and the devotion charm. You saw it all."

Cedric nodded sadly. "And I saw your tears … and your pain. I saw you avoid more harmful spells because you just aren't cruel enough to do that to anyone. And I saw how you tried to keep convincing yourself to believe the lies so you could protect your family. You are not evil, Cho. I saw you save Harry and Ginny …" He paused, looking up sharply. "They're coming. You're not safe out in the open like this."

Cho hesitated only a moment before motioning for Harry and Ginny to follow her. They entered the woods, running along what appeared to be a dirt path. Harry grasped Ginny's hand tightly, vowing silently not to let her go until they were safe. Cho yelled back over her shoulder, "Just a little bit down this path is the cottage. No one's there, but we should be able to use the fireplace to floo out of here. Here … take your wands." She handed them each their wands, giving Collin's to Harry to hold. He shoved it into his pocket.

A clearing in the trees came into view, revealing a small wooden house. Suddenly, figures in black cloaks began to pop up all around the home. Cho grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him and Ginny behind some trees.

"What now?" Harry whispered.

Cedric appeared once more near Cho. "There is no one guarding the back. They expect you to come from this direction. If you can sneak around …"

Cho began to shake her head. "That won't work. We need a distraction."

Harry thought for just a moment, then nodded briskly. "Right, then. You two start off around to the back. I'll wait a couple minutes, then I'll distract …"

"No!" both Cho and Ginny whispered together. Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Cho stopped him. "You've got to go. If He gets you, then He wins. If He gets me, it doesn't matter."

"That's not true, Cho. I'm not any greater than you. Nor am I any more important," Harry said earnestly.

The Asian girl just shook her head. "In His eyes, you Are!"

No one said anything for a moment as Cho and Harry stared at each other. Then, quietly, Ginny said, "I'll stay. You two go. Cho knows the way to the backdoor and … She's right, Harry. The wizarding world needs you to live."

"And I need _you_ to live," Harry whispered quickly as he peered down at the petite redhead. Ginny blinked with surprise, then looked away, blushing. Harry shook his head. "This isn't going to work. We need to all go." Both girls nodded, though neither would look at him

Carefully, they began to sneak their way around the line of trees. Harry kept a tight grip on Ginny's hand, afraid that she might try to turn back. He also made sure that Cho was in front of them, quietly leading the way. Suddenly, she stopped. She pointed over to the door at the back of the cottage. It was only several meters away.

Harry glanced over to the other side of the house. From where they stood, they could see that the majority of the death eaters were near the front of the small cottage. Had they been able to create the diversion, then it would have probably been a clear shot to the door. He turned to tell the girls that he was going back, but immediately looked around with concern. "Where'd Cho go to?"

Ginny must have been checking out the situation like he had for, at his question, she began to look around with concern, too. Cho was gone. And Harry knew just where she was heading. Cursing under his breath, he started to move back in the direction they'd just come from. A loud bang stopped him. Looking over, he saw the death eaters disappearing to the unseen front of the cottage.

Again, Harry moved to go after Cho. However, Cedric's ghostly form suddenly appeared to block the path. "No, Harry," he said, sadly shaking his head.

"We can't just leave her," he exclaimed in a low voice. "If she stays out here, she's sacrificing herself. I can't let her do that."

"You have to," Cedric replied in a calm tone. "It's too late now. She made her choice. Now you need to make yours. Do you let her sacrifice be in vain, or do you allow it to be your salvation?" He glanced between Harry and Ginny before saying, "Professor Dumbledore told you that the time would come when you'd need to decide … and the right thing isn't always the easiest of choices. You've got to go and try to bring back some help."

Harry paused, feeling a part of himself breaking within, then slowly he nodded. Pulling on Ginny's hand, he led them out into the open as shouts echoed from the front of the cottage.

"Where are they? … There's one!"

Within seconds, Harry and Ginny had reached the door. Using the Alohomora charm, Harry unlocked the door and pulled Ginny inside with him. It was the kitchen that they first entered. Looking around, Harry didn't see a fireplace.

"We've got to find the fireplace, Gin," he said, dragging her into the hallway. Outside, the shouts and sounds of explosions could be heard. They ran into a sitting room and immediately spotted the fireplace. Moving over to it, Harry reached for the only pot on the mantle. He looked inside, then tossed the pot to the floor.

"It's empty."

When Harry looked up at Ginny, he found her staring out the front window. Following her gaze, he gasped.

There, in the front yard, stood Cho. She was surrounded by death eaters and Voldemort was towering over her. In a booming voice, the dark lord said, "If you come out now, Harry Potter, I will spare the girl. If you don't, then she will die!"

Harry began to move towards the door, but Ginny managed to grab hold of him to stop him. "He's lying, Harry. You know that he is." As Harry turned to look down at her, Ginny began to tremble.

From outside, Cho shouted, "They're not here anymore. They left. You lost … again, Voldemort." The dark lord could be seen glaring down at the young girl, saying something that only Cho could hear. To Harry and Ginny's surprise, Cho began to laugh. Tossing her hair defiantly, she said loudly, "Then let it be. It was my choice to start all of this … it'll be by my choice to end it."

Voldemort wasted no time, but lifted his wand and flung the killing curse directly at the girl. Harry could do nothing but watch as the green light flared around Cho and she crumbled to the forest floor. Dimly, he became aware of shouting. Tearing his gaze away from his fallen friend, he saw one of the death eaters pointing in their direction.

"They've spotted us, Harry," Ginny said in a weary voice. Harry glanced down at her to see tears gathering rapidly in her brown eyes, though her expression remained one of determination.

"We'll have to fight. We've got no floo powder," he told her. To his surprise, Ginny faced the fireplace and threw a fire spell into it to set it ablaze. Immediately, flames burst into life. A medley of loud poundings sounded at the doors and windows as death eaters began to throw curses at them.

Harry tossed back what he could, blocking the curses a best as he was able. Ginny pulled him by the back of his outfit over towards the fireplace. In a sharp voice, he exclaimed, "I told you, Gin … they haven't any floo powder!"

Ginny yanked at the clasp of her blouse, sticking her hand beneath the light material before producing a small leather pouch on a chord. It was the pouch that Tilly had given to them just that past summer. "I have," the girl said simply, then threw its contents into the fire. As flames took on a greenish hue, Harry turned to look back at Ginny. Everything seemed to be glowing green as he realized that Ginny was falling towards him. She'd been hit. Another curse whizzed past them. Grabbing Ginny up into his arms, Harry pulled them into the fire.

Everything was sent whirling as fire grate by fire grate streamed by. Harry realized that he hadn't stated a destination. Loudly, he cried out the first place that came to mind.

"The Burrow!"

A moment later, he stumbled out into the Burrow's living room. Because of Ginny's added weight, he fell to the side, smacking his head on a nearby table. Harry ignored the pain as he pulled Ginny tightly to him. From all around him, there were voices calling his and Ginny's names. One in particular sounded so familiar.

"Let go of her, Harry," a male voice said. It sounded both sad and anxious. "You can't help her anymore … let me take her."

Harry shook his head even though it was throbbing with pain. He couldn't let go of Ginny. He couldn't lose her. He'd already lost Cedric and Collin … and Cho. In a small sob, he whispered, "Not Ginny … not Ginny …"

"There, there, lad," came a booming voice over the others. It was the one that Harry thought seemed familiar. Another voice said, "He's in shock. We've got to get them to Madame Pomfrey."

The familiar voice cut in gently to say, "Okay, Harry … let Bill take his little sister. You can let go of her now. You're safe now, lad … you're safe."

Reluctantly, Harry loosened his grip on the limp girl. As soon as he felt her leave his arms, he began to sob uncontrollably. A coolness touched his lips, pouring a sweet liquid into his mouth. He swallowed it, not caring if it could be poison. Slowly, his sobs began to quiet. Within minutes, he slipped into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

TBC


	32. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the series. I only write for the fun and enjoyment of it, not for profit. Please don't sue me.

Chapter 31

Harry could later only slightly recall waking up to find Professor Dumbledore and several other wizards and witches at his bedside. In a drugged stupor, he told them what all had happened. After he'd answered their questions, Madame Pomfrey appeared with a cup of dreamless sleeping draught for him to take.

Some time later, Harry began to slip out of the darkness that he'd been cocooning himself in. All around him were the sounds of people murmuring.

"They found the boy's body, but not the girl's."

"It's such a shame."

"Yes, it's just devastated poor Harry. He comes to for a few second, then drifts right off again."

"And Ginny?"

Harry's eyes popped open. Looking over, he could see the blurred forms of two figures sitting in chairs by his bed. One of the figures rose, saying, "He's awake again. You alright, Harry?"

Peering around for a second, Harry finally spotted his glasses on the table next to his bed. He slipped them on as he turned back to the person who was talking to him.

It was Charlie Weasley. The older boy smiled down at him. "Hullo, Harry. You've been out for awhile. We've all been taking turns sitting with you. Looks like Matteau and I got the lucky shift."

Harry looked past Charlie to see a man sitting in a chair near another bed. Matteau was somewhere around Bill or Charlie's age and looked not too much unlike his sister, Tilly. The man gave a wave at Harry, however the boy was already looking elsewhere.

In the bed that Matteau was sitting by lay a small form … with long, red hair. In an instant, Harry was pulling himself up to his feet, though somewhat wobbly.

"Whoa there, Harry!" Charlie said as he helped to steady the young man. "You probably shouldn't be up just yet."

"But … Ginny?" Harry stuttered, his gaze never leaving the girl's sleeping form. "There was a green light … the curse … it hit her and she fell …" He paused, shaking his head. "I know I saw it …"

Matteau seemed to grasp the situation better than Charlie as he stood up, moved to Harry's side, and said, "It wasn't the killing curse, Harry. Just a strong stunning spell. I don't know why there'd be a green light, though."

Charlie cut in with, "The floo powder!" Looking at Harry, he asked, "Right before the curse hit Ginny, did you throw the floo powder into the fire?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but Ginny did. I must have seen that glowing around her. It all happened so fast." He paused, looking intently in the direction where Ginny lay. "Is … she going to be alright then?" As both Charlie and Matteau nodded, a rush of relief flooded through Harry and he sunk back down onto his bed. "I thought that I'd lost her, too," he whispered as he gazed across the room. "We saw Collin fall to the curse … then Cho … I thought for sure that they'd got Ginny, too."

Matteau smiled at Harry as he laid a strong hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'd have to say that young Ginny there is a fighter. I can see why my little sister has taken a liking to her. And to you, Harry. You both did good. Kept your heads and got back safely."

Harry knew that Matteau was just trying to help him feel better about what had happened. Still, he felt horrible. "Gin and I made it back, but Collin and Cho didn't. And … and I couldn't even bring back their bodies like I was able to with Cedric."

"We've already recovered Collin's body, Harry," Charlie told him quietly. "I imagine that some people may not want you to hear this, but … I think you have the right to know. Collin's body was portkeyed into Diagon Alley, along with a note saying that he wouldn't be the last of Hogwart's muggleborns to be eliminated." Charlie paused, as if unsure of how to continue. In an oddly gentle voice, he said, "There has been no sign of Cho's body, however. And … they're pretty sure there never will be."

Before Harry could ask why, Matteau explained, "You-Know-Who made a mistake when he killed the Diggory boy. He needs to gain the support of purebloods, not push them away. As long as there is no physical proof that the Chang girl has been killed, then there can be no accusations that purebloods are in danger, too."

Harry wasn't sure why, but that made him suddenly angry. "Most people aren't idiots. They know that Voldemort doesn't really care about blood lines … just about power." He ignored the fact that both men had flinched at the sound of the dark lord's name. "Voldemort will destroy whatever or whoever is in his way … pureblood or not."

Madam Pomfrey strolled into the room just then and spotted Harry half-sitting up in his bed. Tsking loudly, she came over to him. "Now, now, Mr. Potter. You are too weak to be up and about yet. I want you to lie back down and rest." Practically pushing him back onto the bed, she added in a huffy tone, "I knew it was a mistake to let people sit in here with you."

Both Charlie and Matteau looked as if they were trying to politely hold back a laugh as the older woman fussed over Harry. "Come on, mate," Charlie said to the other man. "My family will want to know that Harry's awake. Especially mum." Waving a good-bye to Harry, both men left the hospital wing.

When Madame Pomfrey was done settling Harry into his bed, she went over to check on Ginny. "Is she going to be okay?" Harry asked hesitantly.

The medi-witch turned and looked at him for a moment, as if sizing him up. Finally, she smiled at him. "Of course she will be, dear. Not to worry. The both of you will be up and around in no time at all." She paused as she glanced down at Ginny again. "Although I did think that she'd have awakened before now." With a somewhat puzzled look, the woman left for her office.

Now alone, Harry quietly sat back up in his bed. He waited for a moment before swinging his legs out over the edge and carefully standing up. Slowly, he made his way over to Ginny's side and sat down on the edge of her bed. Gazing down at her, he thought that she looked so peaceful … so pretty. Harry's cheeks warmed at this thought.

A flicker of pain crossed Ginny's face as she made a soft groaning sound. Without thinking, Harry reached out and gently stroked her forehead and down along her cheek. Immediately, Ginny's body seemed to relax. This amazed Harry. It had to be coincidence that she had relaxed the same moment that he'd touched her. With slightly trembling fingers, he reached out and touched her soft cheek once again.

Ginny's eyelids began to flutter open. Harry yanked his hand back, almost as if he'd been caught trying to sneak a cookie. Knowing that he was blushing, he stood up and began to fidget back and forth on his feet. Ginny looked up at him in a dazed way.

"Harry? Wh … what are you doing here?" She glanced around, frowning as she took in their surroundings. A look of confusion, soon replaced by one of sadness crossed her face. "Oh," she mumbled softly.

Gently, Harry sat back down on the edge of her bed. "We're in the hospital wing at school," he told her quietly. She nodded her head just a bit, looking away from him. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Yes," Ginny replied in a soft whisper. "The blanket was a portkey. It took us all to … to _him_." Tears visibly welled up in her eyes. "Collin is dead, isn't he? And Cho?" She looked up to see Harry slowly nod. "I remember being in Cho's grandfather's cottage. I'd just thrown the floo powder into the fire … then everything went black."

For a moment, Harry just sat there. Then clearing his throat to shake away the unwanted emotions he was feeling, he told her, "You were hit by a stunning spell. I caught you and pulled us into the floo. I believe that we went to the Burrow. It was the only place that I could think of to go to."

"You think?" Ginny asked, giving him an odd look. "Don't you remember?"

Harry shook his head. "I was in, well, shock. I … I thought you'd been hit …" He glanced at Ginny, noticing the confusion in her eyes. "I thought you'd been hit by an unforgivable."

Ginny looked at him with concern, but also still confusion for a moment. Then, slowly, it appeared that she realized just which unforgivable curse Harry had thought she'd been hit by. "Oh Harry," she murmured, sitting up and wrapping her arms around him. "Oh, I'm so sorry. You thought that you lost all of us." She lightly stroked the back of Harry's raven hair as he leaned against her.

Suddenly, Ginny seemed to realize just what she was doing. Harry felt her stiffen as she pulled her hand away. In a nearly inaudible whisper, she said, "I'm sorry, Harry." He wasn't sure what she was sorry for. But he was sure that he missed her soft touch.

Pulling back, Harry looked into Ginny's eyes as he said, "You have nothing to be sorry about, Gin. I'm the one that should be apologizing to you. I'm so sorry that you got dragged into all that …"

"Well, I'm not," Ginny said, somewhat defiantly. It took Harry by surprise. She went on to explain, "It's not that I'm glad it happened. I'm so angry at … at … that evil creature, Riddle … no, not Riddle. Voldemort!" Harry's eyes opened wide as he gave her a startled look. Ginny made a stubborn face as she went on to say, "It's just a name. And he's just a wizard. I'm not afraid of either."

Harry couldn't help smiling at her. He was amazed with her spunk. "That's my girl," he said softly, earning a surprised look form her. He didn't mind, though. The expression quickly faded from her face to be replaced by a sweet smile and blush. Harry felt a bit guilty about feeling this happy, even if it wasn't really all that much. But he felt such a strong relief in knowing that Ginny was safe and there with him.

In a quiet voice, Ginny said, "You probably ought to get back to your own bed before Madame Pomfrey comes out and catches you sitting on mine."

Harry nodded as he reluctantly got up. Carefully, he returned to his bed and laid down.

"Harry?" Ginny called over to him softly. As Harry turned her way, the young girl said, "I'm sorry … about Cho. I … I know that you cared for her deeply."

With a bit of a sigh, Harry felt his heart starting to ache again. "Yeah, I did care about her very much … as a friend." From his bed, Harry was still able to see the look of surprise and curiosity that crossed Ginny's face. He wasn't sure why, but he felt the need to lay it all out in the open. "I was going to break up with her. That's what I was in the process of doing when you … and Collin found us." He paused, then added gently, "I'm sorry about Collin, Gin. I know you two were close friends."

Ginny nodded. "Yeah. Collin could be such a pest. But, he was also such a good friend." Her voice broke slightly as she continued to speak. "You know, he definitely deserved to be in Gryffindor. He was a true hero."

"Yes," Harry agreed, nodding. "Yes, he was."

The two of them were kept in the hospital wing for another couple of days. During that time, they had a variety of visitors. Two of the most difficult visits were Dennis Creevy and Li Chang. Dennis had come in first, accompanied by Lauren Abbott. They hadn't stayed for long. Both Harry and Ginny told Dennis how bravely Collin had fought against Voldemort. Though still incredibly sad, Dennis left the hospital wing with pure pride of his older brother shining in his eyes.

Li had come in alone, rather late at night. He had immediately gone up to Harry and apologized for his sister's actions. "She wasn't as courageous as most in my family. Smart, but not very brave."

From across the room, Ginny stated clearly, "That's not true, Li. Your sister had been manipulated by Voldemort. Believe me, I know what that's like. But she realized she was being used and fought back. She was amazingly brave and we owe our lives to her."

"But the things she did to Harry…" Li started to say.

Harry interrupted. "None of that matters. What does matter is that when Cho finally had to make that ultimate decision, she choose to do what was right … even though it wasn't easy for her. She sacrificed herself so that Ginny and I could escape. In my mind, a person can't get much braver than that."

Li had left shortly after that. Both Harry and Ginny could see that, while he felt better about his sister, he still seemed to harbor some guilt. Ginny had simply told Harry, "Give him some time. He'll stop blaming himself someday." But Harry wasn't so sure about that.

The Weasleys and Hermione came in as much as the infirmary would allow. Both Hermione and Mrs. Weasley cried openly the first time they'd seen the two awake. Even Fred and George seemed more serious than normal. At least they did until they managed to slip a canary cream onto Madame Pomfrey's desk. As soon as the medi-witch was in human form again, she banned the two from the hospital wing.

It didn't matter, though. Both Harry and Ginny got out the next day. A few days later, Professor Dumbledore announced that they would still be playing the last Quidditch game. Li had come up to Harry and told him that he believed Cho would have wanted that. Harry, however, wasn't really sure he was up to play.

The nightmares had returned, worse than ever. From the dark circles under Ginny's eyes, Harry assumed that she was having them, too. The morning of the Quidditch match, Harry sat at the Gryffindor table playing with his food. Ginny sat down next to him silently. She didn't say anything either, nor did she eat very well. But, just as Harry was getting up from the table, she reached over and gently touched his hand with hers. He looked down at their hands, then over into her brown eyes.

"Good luck, Harry," Ginny whispered.

He smiled at her, feeling a bit more energized than he had moments before.

The game went by rather quickly, ending with Harry catching the snitch to give a score of 260, Gryffindor, to 90, Hufflepuff. Gryffindor took the Quidditch cup, as well as the House cup. The End of the Year feast was once again a bitter sweet one as the students held a memorial for both Cho and Collin.

It was a somber group that boarded the train back to London. A number of precautions had been made to ensure the students' safety back home. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all found an empty compartment and sat down. As the train pulled away from Hogsmeade, Harry couldn't help but think about their trip to the school earlier that year.

About halfway back, Fred and George joined the four in the small compartment. Nobody said anything for awhile until George finally blurted out, "Harry?" When Harry looked his way, the boy said, "While you were in the hospital wing, Ron mentioned something to us about a prophecy that you'd found earlier." Harry shot his friend a quick look, noting that Ron was glaring at his brother. George just continued on without noticing. "Do you happen to have a copy of it with you still?"

Harry sighed, but got up and retrieved a bit of parchment from his trunk. He joined the group again, handing the paper over to the twins. After reading it through, Fred asked, "What do you make of it?"

As the trio all shrugged, Ginny took the parchment from her brothers and began to read it over. While she was looking at it, Harry said, "It could be about my parents, though it doesn't seem likely. Trelawney's so off, it could be all nonsense."

Hermione shook her head. "As much as I agree with you about Professor Trelawney, Professor Dumbledore is wrong about things. I think that he believed her on this." A moment later, Ginny handed the parchment back to Harry without a word. She, like the rest, spent the rest of the ride in quiet thought.

Once they pulled into the station and got off the train, the group began to say their good-byes. Hermione was going to join her parents, while Professor Dumbledore believed that Harry would still be safest with the Dursleys. The Weasleys would all be allowed back to the Burrow, which had wards replaced on the whole lot.

Hermione's parents were waiting for her just off of the platform. She quickly went around the group giving each person a hug. When she got to Harry, she gave him a light peck on the cheek. "Take care of yourself, Harry."

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry had seen Ron scowling. That didn't last as Hermione flung her arms around the redhead and hugged him tightly. Then, to everyone's surprise, she placed a light kiss on his cheek … though actually more on the corner of his mouth … before running off to join her parents.

"Oohhh! Ronnekins has a girlfriend," both Fred and George sing-songed together. While Ron turned a deep reddish tint, Harry and Ginny glanced at each other and shared a small laugh.

From across the station, Harry spotted his Uncle Vernon with a large man. Turning to the group, he said, "Well, I better leave, too. Don't want to keep my uncle waiting." They said their good-byes rather quickly, then Harry hurried over to where Uncle Vernon was waiting for him. It was only once he reached his uncle that Harry realized that the other man standing there was actually his cousin, Dudley. His cousin had changed considerably, which made Harry nervous.

"Ready boy?" his uncle said gruffly. Harry nodded, but continued to look at Dudley with amazement. His cousin, however, wasn't even looking at him. He was looking at something just behind Harry. Curious as to what it was, Harry turned to find Ginny coming up to him.

"Ginny? Are you okay?" Harry asked with concern.

Blushing, Ginny nodded as she looked down at the floor. Quietly, she said, "I just wanted to tell you … er, take care of yourself, Harry. Please keep yourself safe." She hesitated only a second, then stretched up on tiptoe and placed a tender kiss on Harry's cheek.

As she ran off, Harry smiled. Then, silently, he turned and followed his uncle and cousin out of the station.

**The End of The Prophecy: Heart's Desire (aka: Year 5)**

Author's note: That's the end of what I'd long ago written up in four notebooks as my thoughts of how the fifth year might go. I'd started to write up a sequel to this about the sixth year, but never got very far. I'm not even sure if I know where the notebook is with what I'd written up. I wasn't sure if anyone really wanted me to finish this or not. Still at times, I find the story being added to someone's alerts. So, for all of you who have stuck with this story over the many, many years of me trying to get it typed up - I hope that you enjoyed it. I'd really love to continue with the sixth year, but don't know if it is worth my time if only a few people would be reading it. Still, I could possibly be persuaded. J Leave me a reply to let me know what you think, or send me off a private message/email or such. Cheers! Robin


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